FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Balkans: EU External Relations

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of progress on the EU Stabilisation and Association process in relation to  (a) Serbia,  (b) Montenegro,  (c) Albania and  (d) Bosnia and Herzegovina.

David Lidington: The EU Foreign Affairs Council on 14 June 2010 agreed that member states should proceed with ratification of Serbia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). UK parliamentary ratification is under way, alongside those of other EU member states. The EU General Affairs Council on 22 October 2010 agreed to refer to the Commission, for an Opinion, Serbia's application for EU membership, recalling that full co-operation with International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) remains an essential condition for Serbia's EU membership. The Commission's November 2010 Report on Enlargement welcomed progress made by Serbia in complying with its obligations under the SAA, but called for further effort in a number of key reform areas. The UK supports the Commission assessment.
	Montenegro's SAA entered into force on 1 May 2010. In November 2010 the Commission issued an Opinion on Montenegro's application for EU membership. The Commission assessed Montenegro's track record in implementing its obligations under the SAA as positive overall. It recommended that the Council grant Montenegro EU Candidate Status, but set out seven key reform priorities which it recommended be addressed before the Council considers opening accession negotiations with Montenegro. The UK supports the Commission's assessment and its recommendation to grant EU Candidate Status to Montenegro, which will be considered by the December European Council.
	Albania's SAA entered into force on 1 April 2009. In November 2010 the Commission issued an Opinion on Albania's application for EU membership. The Commission assessed Albania's track record in implementing its obligations under the SAA as positive overall. But it set out 12 key reform priorities which it recommended be addressed before the Council considers opening of accession negotiations with Albania. The UK supports the Commission assessment.
	Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)'s SAA was signed in June 2008 and to date has been ratified by 25 member states. The Commission's November 2010 Report on Enlargement assessed that BiH had made only limited progress in meeting its obligations under the SAA. BiH remains in breach of its Interim Agreement with the EU and the EU General Affairs Council of 14 December 2010 concluded that BiH needs urgently to align itself with its SAA obligations and speed up reforms essential for further progress towards EU membership.

Brazil: Exports

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his objectives are for increasing exports to Brazil; and what foreign policy measures his Department plans to take to increase Britain's commercial interest in that country.

Jeremy Browne: The UK Government are prioritising their engagement with the world's emerging powers, including Brazil. Strengthening ties with Brazil will help to promote a range of UK interests, in particular trade and investment, where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working with UK Trade and Investment and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to build Britain's prosperity by increasing exports and investment, opening markets, ensuring access to resources, and promoting sustainable global growth.
	The last three years have seen a 500% increase in the number of British companies looking for help with the Brazilian market from UKTI. There are particular opportunities in the infrastructure, energy and defence sectors, as well as commercial opportunities linked to Brazil's hosting of the 2014 football World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
	The Government are playing a leading role to capitalise on these prospects. The Business Secretary visited Brazil in September 2010. In 2011 the Deputy Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Lord Mayor of London will also visit. This high-level engagement will include business delegations. During 2011, we will develop a UK-Brazil CEOs' Forum and work to deliver concrete outcomes to the annual Ministerial UK-Brazil Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO).
	The UK Government are also working with Brazil through the EU in support of an ambitious EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, which will benefit UK companies exporting to the region. In the G20, Brazil is a helpful partner in discussions on global economic governance, by supporting free trade and resisting protectionism.

Burma: Political Prisoners

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Burmese Government on the release of political prisoners in jail or under house arrest in Burma.

Jeremy Browne: We remain deeply concerned about the continued imprisonment of over 2,200 political prisoners in Burma. Their immediate and unconditional release remains one of the international community's long-standing demands. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and I raised the plight of Burmese political prisoners at the October Asia Europe summit at which the Burmese Foreign Minister was present. We also raise the issue directly with the Burmese Government through our ambassador in Rangoon, with regional countries with influence and in the UN's human rights bodies. Most recently we secured a strongly-worded human rights resolution on Burma in the UN General Assembly which demanded the release of all political prisoners. We will continue to maintain international pressure for progress.

Commonwealth

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 9 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 41-3WS, on the UK's relationship with the Commonwealth, which states he has identified for potential  (a) expanded membership and  (b) partner and observer agreements; what progress has been made on developing the terms of such partner and observer agreements; and what discussions he has had to this end with his foreign counterparts.

Henry Bellingham: The Eminent Persons Group (EPG), established at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009 to review the work of the Commonwealth, is considering a wide range of issues including membership issues. Their recommendations will be considered at the 2011 CHOGM in Perth, Australia. Decisions relating to Commonwealth membership must be agreed by all heads. The British Government continue to work closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat and all member states on a wide range of issues.

Commonwealth

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the merits of a two-tier Commonwealth system for the purpose of allowing  (a) multilateral trade agreements between (i) the UK, (ii) Canada, (iii) Australia, (iv) New Zealand, (v) South Africa, (vi) India and (vii) members of the Anglophone Commonwealth and  (b) free trade agreements between the tiers.

Henry Bellingham: The UK, as part of its membership of the European Union, is party with all other 27 member states in a customs union with common arrangements for imports from and exports to third counties. These common arrangements are decided, discussed, agreed and administered through the Community's 'Common Commercial Policy' (CCP). The UK is therefore unable to enter into direct regional trade agreements with other members of the Commonwealth in exclusion of the EU.
	The Government are pursuing an ambitious free trade agenda aimed at reducing barriers to trade and is committed to achieving an ambitious, pro-development outcome from the Doha Development Agenda. The UK is also working through the EU to pursue ambitious bilateral agreements with Canada and India, which we hope will conclude in 2011. The EU's trade relations with South Africa are governed by the EU South Africa Trade, Development and Co-operation agreement.
	The Government are committed to helping the Commonwealth realise its potential. Trade and investment is an area where we would like to see greater impact. The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) is currently undertaking a review of the organisation to examine how it can best serve the needs of its citizens in the 21st century. Commonwealth Trade and Investment will feature in their deliberations. The EPG will publish their findings in March 2011.

Commonwealth Security Council

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the merits of establishing a Commonwealth security council to include  (a) the UK,  (b) Canada,  (c) Australia,  (d) New Zealand,  (e) South Africa,  (f) India and  (g) other members of the Anglophone Commonwealth.

Henry Bellingham: The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) exists to uphold Commonwealth core values as set out in the Harare Declaration (1991) and to take action when a member state is deemed to have violated those values. CMAG is formed of nine member states, appointed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for a two year term. The UK was last a member between 2007 and 2009. We hope that the review of CMAG, agreed to by heads at CHOGM 2009, and the work of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), will strengthen this important group. It needs to have a more constructive approach when dealing with member states that infringe Commonwealth core values.

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's annual budget for conferences was at  (a) 7 May 2010 and  (b) 7 December 2010.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold this information in the format requested. As budgets in the FCO are devolved to over 250 posts overseas and individual directorates and strategic programmes within the UK, this information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, all expenditure undertaken by the FCO is directly aimed at achieving our foreign policy priorities and is designed to ensure the Department achieves value for money and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the HM Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the effect of the increase in the standard rate of value added tax on his Department's annual expenditure.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not produced an estimate of how the change in the standard rate of value added tax (VAT) will affect the FCO's annual expenditure and such an estimate could be produced only at a disproportionate cost.
	Departmental spending review settlements are set on a tax-inclusive basis, including the increase to the standard rate of VAT.
	However, much of the FCO's budget is spent overseas and is therefore not liable to UK VAT. In addition, where FCO spend is with suppliers who are registered for UK VAT, this is reclaimed, wherever possible, in line with HM Revenue and Customs rules.

Departmental Sponsorship

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what expenditure  (a) his Department and  (b) its non-departmental public bodies incurred on sponsorship in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) do not hold data centrally on specific instances of sponsorship where fees are paid for the right to be associated with an activity. The FCO and its NDPBs work to deliver the Government's Foreign Policy Priorities through over 250 posts worldwide through our strategic programmes and other operations. To ascertain the expenditure incurred since 1997 deemed as sponsorship would involve disproportionate cost.
	Any expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

EU Enlargement

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of progress of on the EU accession negotiations of  (a) Iceland,  (b) Croatia and  (c) the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

David Lidington: Accession negotiations opened formally with Iceland on 27 July 2010. The Commission is currently working on screening reports for each of the 35 chapters. These will assess how closely Iceland is aligned with the EU acquis and will form the basis of negotiations. The first of these reports will be published early in 2011.
	Croatia has made good overall progress towards meeting the membership criteria. Accession negotiations have reached their final stage and preparations for the drafting of the Accession treaty have progressed steadily. Croatia has opened all of the substantive chapters of the negotiations, and has provisionally closed 25 chapters. But Croatia still has work to do, particularly on judicial reform, public administration reform, tackling corruption and organised crime. Full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is a requirement for the closure of negotiations.
	The European Commission has recommended, in its 2009 and 2010 enlargement strategies, that negotiations for accession to the European Union should be opened with Macedonia. The Government support this and expect a date for the opening of negotiations to be given once the European Council reaches a unanimous decision to endorse the Commission recommendation. The Council confirmed on 14 December that it is ready to return to the matter during the next presidency.

Haiti: Elections

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the violence in Haiti following the recent presidential elections in that country.

Jeremy Browne: The violence that followed the first round of voting in the Haitian presidential and parliamentary elections was deeply regrettable. It hindered humanitarian work and further undermined the democratic process which is important to Haiti's stability, recovery and development. We understand the concerns of Haitian voters about the possibility of fraud and urge the political leaders and authorities to use legal constitutional means to resolve their differences.

Hungary: Council of Ministers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Hungarian counterpart on the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

David Lidington: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held a bilateral meeting with the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Janos Martonyi, on 7 December 2010 in London. They discussed the key issues for the Hungarian presidency, including the financial framework, enlargement and economic governance. The UK shares priorities with the Hungarians in a number of areas, including working towards Croatian accession and on generating economic growth. The Foreign Secretary also emphasised the need to maintain momentum during the Hungarian presidency on Iran, Pakistan and Burma.

North Korea

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his  (a) EU and  (b) UN counterparts on (i) North Korea's nuclear programme and (ii) the recent conflict in the Korean Peninsula.

Jeremy Browne: We have held extensive discussions with both EU and UN counterparts since 23 November on North Korea's nuclear programme and the recent conflict in the Korean Peninsula. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has spoken to the UN Secretary-General, as well as to President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea. Our ambassador in Pyongyang, together with a visiting EU delegation, also made urgent representations to the North Korean Government immediately following the attack.

Palestinians: Economic Situation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on levels of  (a) financial and  (b) security support provided to the West Bank by the government of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government of Israel do not provide financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) or to projects which benefit Palestinians in the west bank. They do, however, transfer to the PA custom clearance revenues which they collect on behalf of the PA. According to the Government of Israel's report to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting of 21 September 2010, it transferred 2,299 million New Israeli Shekels (NIS) in the first half of 2010. The Government of Israel also adopt a number of policies which result in financial benefit to Israeli settlements in the west bank.
	The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is deployed across the West Bank in Area C (where Israel retains full security control) and Area B (which is under joint Palestinian and Israeli control). Area A is controlled by the Palestinian Security Forces (PSE). We assess that security in the west bank has benefited from improved cooperation between the PSF and IDF, although Israeli movement and access restrictions continue to act as a constraint on Palestinian economic growth.

Palestinians: Economic Situation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on financial contributions from Israel to the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government of Israel do not provide financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA). They do, however, transfer to the PA customs clearance revenues which they collect on the PA's behalf. According to the Government of Israel's report to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting of 21 September, it transferred 2,299 million New Israeli Shekels (NIS) in the first half of 2010.

Palestinians: Economic Situation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the outcomes of international donor conferences on funding for the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are not aware of any recent international donor conferences on providing funding for the west bank. An international donor conference for the Palestinian Territories was last held in Paris in December 2007. At this conference delegations from 87 countries and international organisations pledged $7.4 billion over three years to support Palestinian institution building and economic recovery, and for humanitarian assistance.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what economic assistance his Department  (a) has provided in the last five years and  (b) plans to provide to the Palestinian authorities in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK does not provide any support, either directly or indirectly, to the de facto authorities in Gaza, as under European Union and British legislation it is illegal to provide financial assistance to Hamas. We provide budget support to the Palestinian Authority, via a World Bank Trust Fund, in order to support basic services and pay the salaries of public sector workers in both Gaza and the west bank. From 2006-08, the UK provided funding to pay public sector worker salaries through two European Union programmes known as the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) and PEGASE. As this funding is for the whole of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, it is not possible to disaggregate funding specific to Gaza. The following table lays out total UK funding for these programmes.
	
		
			  Calendar year  Programme  Amount (£ million) 
			 2010 World Bank Trust Fund 30 
			 2009 World Bank Trust Fund 30 
			 2008 World Bank Trust Fund 35 
			  PEGASE 15.45 
			 2007 TIM 3 
			 2006 TIM 11.875

South Korea: Military Exercises

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of South Korea's recent long-fire military drills; and if he will make a statement on the security situation on the Korean peninsula.

Jeremy Browne: We recognise that South Korea has a right to conduct such defensive exercises. However tensions are likely to remain high until North Korea abandons its provocative behaviour and violations of UN resolutions, and creates the conditions for the resumption of talks by making verifiable progress towards denuclearisation.

USA

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a communiqué was issued following his meeting with the United States Secretary of State in November 2010.

Alistair Burt: No.

WALES

Departmental Pay

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff employed by her Department were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Jones: Nil.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Lobbying

Robert Halfon: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how much the Law Officers' Departments' agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent from the public purse on influencing public policy through  (a) employing external (i) public affairs companies, (ii) strategic consultancies and (iii) corporate communications firms,  (b) external marketing and  (c) other activities in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  which of the Law Officers' Departments' non-departmental public bodies have undertaken activities to influence public policy for which they engaged  (a) public affairs and  (b) public relations consultants in each year since 1997; and at what monetary cost in each such year.

Edward Garnier: The Law Officers' Departments include two bodies that fall within the ambit of the question-the National Fraud Authority and the Treasury Solicitor's Department. Neither has incurred any such expenditure since 1997.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Communication

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, with which media organisations  (a) the Director of Communications,  (b) staff in the communications section and  (c) other staff in the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority communicated in the two weeks prior to the publication on 2 December 2010 of information on hon. Members' expenses.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald:
	As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking with which media organisations (a) the Director of Communications, (b) staff in the communications section and (c) other staff in the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority communicated in the two weeks prior to the publication on 2 December 2010 of information on hon. Members' expenses. (29687)
	IPSA's policy is that any media enquiries are dealt with by the communications team. In the course of their work, staff in IPSA's communications team regularly speak to members of media organisations. During the two weeks prior to publication, communications team members responded to telephone enquiries from a large number of journalists from both the national and regional media. We do not keep records of calls received.

Offices: Rents

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how much the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority spent on each type of office rental in the latest period for which figures are available.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how much the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority spent on each type of office rental in the latest period for which figures are available.
	The MPs' Expense Scheme provides for two limits on constituency office rental costs: one for constituency offices in the London Area as defined by the Scheme, and one for constituency offices outside the London Area.
	Taking both bands together, the lowest monthly office rental payment paid by IPSA since May 2010 was for £102.30 and the highest was for £1,117.50 per month.
	Not all rental contracts are directly comparable. Some will solely cover the right to occupy the premises. Others will encompass ancillary services such as cleaning or may include provision for energy costs. Care should therefore be taken when making comparisons, and the highest figure quoted here includes cleaning and energy costs.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the annual budget of the Government Equalities Office for conferences was at  (a) 7 May 2010 and  (b) 7 December 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office does not hold a set budget for conference expenditure. Since its creation, the following amounts have been spent in this budget area:
	
		
			  Conference expenditure 
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2007-08(1) 220,167 
			 2008-09 305,275 
			 2009-10 414,423 
			 2010-11 87,166 
			 (1) GEO was established in October 2007. 
		
	
	Most of this expenditure was for events held in preparations for new legislation, which culminated in the 2010 Equality Act. Another large element was for events which sought to improve the diversity of representation in public life.

Departmental Publications

Robert Halfon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the expenditure of the Government Equalities Office on printing  (a) Command Papers,  (b) papers laid before Parliament by Act,  (c) consultation documents and  (d) other papers in each year since its inception.

Lynne Featherstone: No such estimate has been made. Expenditure on publications and printing since the Government Equalities Office was established are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  Printing  Publications 
			 2007-08(1) 12,375 17,610 
			 2008-09 22,841 199,429 
			 2009-10 175,057 68,406 
			 2010-11(2) 11,849 36,098 
			 (1) From 12 October 2007. (2) Current to 30 November 2010.

Discrimination

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she expects to make an announcement on the report commissioned by the Government Equalities Office on Caste Discrimination and Harassment in Great Britain.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government have recently published the National Institute for Economic and Social Research report on caste prejudice and discrimination in Great Britain.
	The Government are considering the report carefully and will announce their conclusions in due course.

Equal Pay

Esther McVey: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent assessment the Government Equalities Office has made of the gender pay gap.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) does not make its own assessment of the gender pay gap, but instead uses figures published by The Office for National Statistics (ONS). The most recent assessment by ONS shows that the gap between the median hourly earnings of men and women working full-time is 10.2% in 2010. If men and women working part-time are also included then this figure rises to 19.8%.
	This Government are committed to tackling the barriers that women face in the workplace and are taking a range of measures including extending the right to request flexible working to all employees, consulting on a new system of parental leave, and promoting gender equality on company boards including responding to any recommendations from the current Lord Davies review that are targeted towards, and accepted by, the Government.

Equalities Bill

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much was spent under each budgetary heading on the eight regional road shows during the Equalities Bill consultation; and how many staff of the Government Equalities Office  (a) attended and  (b) were otherwise involved in work relating to the road shows.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) spent £80,108 on eight regional road shows. Four of the events were about the equality duty and were held in September 2009. The other four events were consultations on the Equality Bill, held towards the end of 2008 and early 2009. The expenditure covered project and event management (event organisation and advertising) £41,549 and event and location hosting (venue hire) £38,559.
	GEO has not kept a register of who attended these events. Numbers of GEO staff at the events varied but typically GEO sent two policy staff to capture delegate's view and introduce the subject matter and a member of the GEO's communications team. Organisation of these events was undertaken by the GEO communications team which at the time had four members of staff but these staff would have been involved intermittently on work relating to the road shows.

Females: Local Enterprise Partnerships

Esther McVey: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the representation of women on the boards of local enterprise partnerships; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: I have had no discussions with ministerial colleagues on this issue. My ministerial colleagues in the Departments for Communities and Local Government and Business Innovation and Skills are taking forward the development of local enterprise partnerships.
	Both Departments are represented on the Inter Ministerial Group for Equalities which I Chair and together with other ministerial colleagues have been instrumental in shaping the Government's recently published Equality Strategy.
	The Strategy recognises that inclusive and diverse boards are better boards and that it is essential that we benefit from the talents of everyone in society. The Government have appointed Lord Davies to undertake a review into the lack of female representation on corporate and business boards which will report back early next year.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is meeting you in the new year to discuss this issue.

Government Equalities Office: Personnel

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has for the number of staff of the Government Equalities Office in each of the next five years.

Lynne Featherstone: Between financial year 2010-11 and the end of the spending review period in 2014-15 we expect to see Government Equalities Office (GEO) staff numbers fall from 120 to just below 100. How the numbers will change in particular years cannot be forecast precisely as it will depend on some factors outside GEO's control such as individual's career choices.

Politics: Females

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what her policy is on measures to increase the number of women in political life.

Lynne Featherstone: This Government recognises that increasing the number of women in politics has a real and constructive effect on the quality of decision making and is committed to tackling the barriers preventing women and under-represented groups from participating in political life.
	The Equality Act 2010 includes a range of positive action provisions that allow political parties to take steps to encourage involvement amongst women and other underrepresented groups. These include extending the period that they can use women-only shortlists until 2030. The general positive action provisions will also enable political parties to create dedicated committees or groups, exclusively for women and broader shadowing, internship and mentoring opportunities for women.
	Section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 also makes it possible to require registered political parties to publish anonymised data relating to the diversity of their candidate selections at a particular election and we are currently considering how this will be taken forward.
	The Deputy Prime Minister is chairing a cross-party Committee, which is discussing proposals for a wholly or mainly elected second chamber. The Committee is considering how a reformed second chamber could more closely reflect the diversity of the society it serves.

Schools: Females

Esther McVey: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government Equalities Office is taking to increase the number of female role models in  (a) schools,  (b) businesses and  (c) public services.

Lynne Featherstone: The Gender Equality Duty, which came into force in England, Scotland and Wales in April 2007, requires public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and eliminate unlawful harassment and sex discrimination. This could include work to promote the number of female role models in schools and public services.
	In regard to role models in schools, this Government are committed to encouraging girls and young women to make broader career choices and to open up opportunities for everyone, regardless of background and gender. It is important to recognise the part role models play in raising aspirations and helping young people to make informed choices.
	We will be establishing a new all-age careers service to encourage informed choices, providing clear and transparent information to all learners about the options open to them. Good careers guidance is at the heart of ensuring opportunities are available to all.
	The Government have also worked with Smallpeice Trust, an independent charity providing exciting programmes to promote engineering careers to the young. Girls, who are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers, are particularly targeted.
	In regard to role models in businesses, the Government have appointed Lord Davies to look at how obstacles can be removed to allow more women to make it to the boardroom. Lord Davies will deliver his recommendations for an effective business-led strategy in February 2010 and we will respond to his recommendations in due course. Measures that we are taking on positive action, on flexible working, and on parental leave will also help address some of the barriers to career progression that women face in the workplace.
	In regard to role models in public services, the Government have set themselves the aspiration that by the end of the Parliament at least 50% of all appointees being made to the boards of public bodies will be women. We are currently looking at what steps need to be taken to achieve that aim and will be publishing a cross-Government action plan in March 2011.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Conflict Prevention: Finance

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the commitment that just under a third of his Department's budget will be spent on conflict prevention by 2015 on his Department's  (a) Millennium Development Goals priorities and  (b) other priorities; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Aid invested in fragile and conflict affected states will make a crucial contribution to progress against the range of the Government's Development priorities. No fragile country has yet achieved a single Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Half of children who die before their fifth birthday are in fragile states, as are half of the children who are not in primary school.
	We will not meet the MDGs or meet the needs of the poorest unless we do more to deal with conflict and fragility directly. This means addressing the root causes of conflict and fragility; supporting an inclusive political system which builds a closer society; and strengthening government's ability to deliver basic services, security, justice and economic opportunity. This is vital to improving the lives of the poorest.

Departmental Press Releases

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions his Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings his Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions his Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has on no occasion provided an embargoed media briefing prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

Departmental Written Questions

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Secretary of State for written answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer  (a) in Session 2009-10 and  (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to his Department of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics in a standard format on the time taken to respond to written parliamentary questions (PQs) for the 2009-10 Session. This information will be submitted to the Procedure Committee shortly.
	Between 18 May 2010 and 18 November 2010 the Department for International Development (DFID) received 136 named day PQs, of which 129 were answered substantively on the day named for answer. All named day PQs tabled between 18 May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had received substantive answers by 18 November 2010.
	DFID has not made an estimate of the average cost to the Department of answering a named day PQ on the day named for answer. Her Majesty's Treasury estimates the average cost of answering a written question to be £154.
	During the current parliamentary session, DFID has answered 95% of all named day PQ substantively on the day named for answer. Efforts are in place to achieve 100%.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the funding allocated to the Pilot Programme for Climate Resistance is to be provided in the form of  (a) loans and  (b) grants.

Stephen O'Brien: As of 30 September 2010, the total finance pledged to the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience from all donors, which includes the UK, USA, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Australia, Norway and Japan, is $972 million (£626 million). Of this sum, $638 million (£411 million) is in the form of grant finance and $334 million (£215 million) is in the form of concessional loans.

Developing Countries: Insurance

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans there are to use funds from the Fast Start Fund to increase access to micro-insurance in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is looking at what works in setting up micro-insurance schemes in developing countries. This will address issues such as: how to get insurance companies engaged; how to make insurance affordable for poorer farmers; and, how to maximise value for money from such schemes. We are working with international partners, including the World Bank, the World Food programme and Oxfam, to help find answers to these questions, and to improve climate risk management for the poor. Some of the preliminary results of our analysis will be available in early 2011 and will inform our approach to micro-insurance and climate change, and our "Fast Start" funding decisions.

Developing Countries: Maternity Services

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his plans for improving maternal health in developing countries include the provision of technical and financial support in respect of user fees.

Stephen O'Brien: Improving maternal health and women's rights are major priorities for the UK Government. The Department for International Development (DFID) will shortly be launching a new Framework for Results for Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health. This will set out how the UK aims to increase efforts to 2015 to save the lives of at least 50,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth, a quarter of a million newborn babies and enable 10 million couples to access modern methods of family planning. It includes action to remove financial barriers that prevent women accessing services.
	The Government believe that nobody should die or suffer ill health because they are too poor to afford treatment. This is why we support international efforts to achieve universal coverage of basic health services. Evidence shows that removing financial barriers increases poor women's uptake of reproductive, maternal and newborn health services. Where appropriate, DFID will provide technical and financial support to countries that wish to remove fees at the point of use of services and replace them with more equitable health financing systems. This includes making essential health services free at the point of use, and supporting the poorest women to meet the indirect costs of health care by piloting innovative approaches like cash transfer programmes.

Developing Countries: Medical Treatments

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has allocated funding to promote the use of tranexamic acid in reducing death in patients with significant haemorrhage; and whether he plans to take steps to enable tranexamic acid to be included in the World Health Organisation Essential Medicines pack.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government do not make specific allocations for the use of particular medicines in developing countries.
	The World Health Organisation (WHO) makes recommendations on the selection of medicines for a variety of purposes based on a thorough assessment of evidence of comparative effectiveness. It is important that these processes are based on objective review and not on the interventions of member states.

Developing Countries: Young People

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's ring-fenced budget for conflict-affected and fragile states will be allocated to supporting children and young people.

Alan Duncan: The Government are committed to taking action to reduce the direct impact of war and violence on children, and to tackle the indirect effects of conflict-the toll on their health, education and chance of a decent life. Over half of children who are not in primary school and half of those who die before their fifth birthday are in fragile countries.
	The 30% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocated to fragile and conflict affected states will be spent across the range of development activities. Allocations to Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral programmes, including for fragile states, are being determined by the Bilateral Aid Review, through which DFID country offices have been asked to set out the results they will achieve during the next four years in a range of areas, including support to children and young people such as health, education, and skills training and employment. The outcomes of the Bilateral Aid Review will be available in the spring.

Food: Textiles

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has made an assessment of the potential contribution to his Department's development objectives which could be achieved by increasing the proportion of ethically-sourced goods in Government procurement as part of the current review of Government buying standards for food and textiles; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not made such an assessment. DFID conducts its formal procurement procedures within the best practise confines of the UK public sector procurement regulations and in line with European legislation. When procuring products and services we consider suppliers policies on corporate social responsibility, sustainability, transparency and environmental protection. For example DFID and its agents aim to purchase timber and timber products that originated from sustainable and legal sources; and to procure consultancy services that ensure environmental implications are identified, and actions taken to address potentially adverse impacts and enhance environmental benefits.

International Assistance

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what new commitments the UK made at the Millennium Development Goals summit in September 2010 relating to reductions in the level of worldwide poverty by 2015.

Stephen O'Brien: The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit was a crucial opportunity to secure concrete commitments to accelerate progress on the MDGs as the world approaches the deadline of 2015. The summit resulted in a global commitment to save 16 million women and children, reverse the spread of malaria and tackle hunger and under-nutrition.
	The summit also ended with the formal adoption of the outcome document "Keeping the Promise: United to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals". This document offers us a path towards meeting the MDGs, giving a lifeline to millions of the world's poorest people.

Kenya: Agriculture

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government has spent on climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers in Kenya in each of the last five years; and what proportion that amount represents of his Department's  (a) total spending on climate change overseas,  (b) total spending on climate change adaptation overseas,  (c) total spending on climate change in the developing world and  (d) total spending on climate change adaptation in the developing world in each such year.

Andrew Mitchell: Our central recording systems do not capture this level of detail for project expenditure. Compiling the requested information would incur disproportionate cost.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) recognises that smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and we take this into account in the design and implementation of a number of our development activities, including through our research programme and our adaptation programmes. In 2009 the Stockholm Environment Institute produced a study on the economic impacts of climate change in Kenya, including in the agriculture sector. This work is informing our approach to the design of programmes of support to climate adaptation in Kenya.
	The UK Government have committed to provide £1.5 billion in Fast Start finance over the period 2010-12, to help the developing world carry out the urgent work needed to adapt to climate change, adopt clean technology and reduce emissions from deforestation. In 2010-11 the UK is providing approximately 41% of its Fast Start allocation for adaptation, a significant share of which has been designed to benefit smallholder farmers. The Department is in the course of monitoring and evaluating the impact of these ongoing programmes.

Kenya: Agriculture

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on agricultural development in Kenya in each of the last five years.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not directly supported agricultural development in Kenya over the last five years, for reasons of effective division of labour among donors.
	DFID does centrally fund agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa, some of which benefits Kenya. Such multi-country support includes £7 million to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and £37.5 million to the African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), some of which relates to agricultural development.

Kenya: Food Aid

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on emergency food aid in Kenya in each of the last five years.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided £5 million in April 2008 and a further £5.5 million in March 2009 to the World Food Programme for emergency food aid in Kenya. This support contributed to the international response to severe drought and accompanying rise in food insecurity. We have not provided other funds for emergency food aid in the last five years.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Ministers in his Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

Alan Duncan: No Department for International Development (DFID) Ministers have visited the North East since May 2010.

Private Sector

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  when he plans to publish the outcomes of his Department's consultation on private sector development; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he plans to publish the results of his Department's consultation on private labour markets; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has no plans to publish the results of these consultations. The purpose of the consultations is to obtain the views of a broad range of stakeholders on the development of DFID's research programme in these areas.

Private Sector

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the consultancy fees incurred in establishing its Private Sector Department.

Stephen O'Brien: There were no consultancy fees incurred in establishing the Private Sector Department. The design and implementation of the changes for the new Department were carried out by Department for International Development (DFID) staff.

Western Sahara: Food

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2010,  Official Report, column 447W, on Western Sahara: food, whether any of the support for Western Sahara provided through the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office is allocated to Saharawi in Western Sahara rather than the refugee camps in Algeria.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have a bilateral aid programme in Western Sahara and has not provided direct emergency funds to the country in the last five years. We support Western Sahara through our share of the budget of the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). ECHO'S funding currently goes to the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria. ECHO has provided €165 million in humanitarian aid since it was established and allocated €10 million in October 2010.

TREASURY

Deficit Reduction: Deprived Communities

Derek Twigg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effects of his deficit reduction policies on deprived communities.

David Gauke: It is for Departments to decide how to best prioritise resources within their departmental expenditure limits. The impact on communities will only become apparent once these decisions have been made. For the first time at spending review, Treasury undertook and published an indicative distributional analysis of public services spend. The estimates show that those in most need will continue to receive the most support from the state in absolute terms.

Financial Institutions: Remuneration

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals to require banks and other financial institutions to publish details of employees earning more than £1 million per year.

Mark Hoban: The FSA has published its revised Remuneration Code and Disclosure Rules, which incorporates provisions in the EU capital requirements directive (CRD3). These requirements are at the forefront of global practice, and include robust rules on remuneration disclosure.

Banks: Pay

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to hold a consultation on the remuneration disclosure scheme announced in the June 2010 Budget;
	(2)  by what mechanisms his Department's consultation on the remuneration disclosure scheme announced in the June 2010 Budget will be undertaken; what timetable he has set for publication of the outcome of that consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 25 November 2010
	A consultation document was issued by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on 10 November 2010 outlining proposals to implement the remuneration disclosure provisions in the revised EU capital requirements directive (CRD3). The FSA intends to have this disclosure regime in place by 1 January 2011 and relevant firms will be required make disclosures in respect of the 2010 financial year. The Government support the principles set out in Sir David Walker's recommendations on disclosure of remuneration. We will continue to work towards an internationally agreed approach at both G20 and EU levels.

Credit Rating Agencies: EU Action

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of implementation of the European Commission's proposal to amend the EU Regulation on Credit Rating Agencies on UK national competence on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The proposed regulation implements the June 2009 European Council decision to move supervision of credit ratings agencies (CRA) from national authorities to the EU level.
	The regulation is directly applicable to UK law, although some minor implementation is required of member states. The regulation:
	introduces a harmonised approach to the regulation of credit rating activities in the European Union;
	creates a registration system for CRAs established in the EU, and a certification system for agencies established outside the EU;
	requires registered agencies to comply with various provisions relating to independence, conflicts of interest, employees and analysts, methodologies and models, outsourcing, and disclosure and presentation of information; and
	requires specified financial institutions to use credit ratings for regulatory purposes only if they have been issued or endorsed by a registered CRA, or issued by an overseas agency that has been certified in accordance with the regulation.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what damage was caused to the HM Revenue and Customs building at 100 Parliament street during the demonstration on 9 December 2010; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of repairing the damage; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Custom's (HMRC) office at 100 Parliament street is occupied under a private finance initiative with Exchequer Partnership and is occupied under the terms of the contract with Exchequer Partnership rather than by the terms of a traditional lease. Damage was caused to building fabric: windows, doors and stonework of HMRC's building at 100 Parliament street during the demonstration on 9 December 2010.
	The cost of the damage is still being finalised and will be submitted within insurance provisions as part of the Exchequer Partnership arrangement. Until the claim has been assessed by the insurers HMRC cannot quantify the cost to the public purse.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he  (a) is taking and  (b) plans to take to protect the buildings leased by his Department from damage during demonstrations; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Internal physical security of HMT buildings is managed by the relevant security contractor for the individual building. External security is the responsibility of the police and the local authority.
	During demonstrations, the Department maintains full liaison with police through the security contractor to assist in identifying and protecting areas at risk including during demonstrations. Protocols are activated with the PFI supplier/security contractor to protect entrances and increase manual guarding in any building identified as at risk.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on negotiations with the European Commission on the proposed rural fuel duty rebate; and if he will make a statement to the House on the issue before 20 January 2011.

David Gauke: holding answer 16 December 2010
	 Officials are undertaking discussions with the European Commission prior to submitting a formal application to the Commission for a fuel duty rebate, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.
	The Government will report back to Parliament prior to submitting a formal application.

Gift Aid

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take in response to the recent conclusions of the Gift Aid Forum;
	(2)  what proposals his Department has to reduce the administrative burden in respect of the Gift Aid scheme.

David Gauke: Representatives from the charity sector have been working with officials on HM Treasury's Gift Aid Forum to consider a number of options for reform and simplification of Gift Aid. A report was submitted on behalf of the forum on 13 October and has now been published on HM Treasury's website along with the Economic Secretary's letter to Peter Fanning, the author of the report. There is much in the report that can be taken forward and HM Revenue and Customs will be setting up a Charity Tax Forum to progress some of the recommendations.

Gift Aid

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to raise the level of public awareness of the Gift Aid scheme in respect of online donations.

David Gauke: On 3 December HM Treasury issued its response to Peter Fanning's report on behalf of the Give Aid Forum, which can be found online at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/8519.htm
	The report made recommendations to simplify the administration of Gift Aid and to raise awareness. As set out in the response, the Government will take forward a number of recommendations, including looking into raising awareness of the Gift Aid scheme among donors and among young people.

HM Revenue and Customs: Overpayments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department has made in  (a) repaying overpaid tax and  (b) collecting underpaid tax as a result of recent miscalculations of tax liability made by HM Revenue and Customs in the PAYE system.

David Gauke: This information is not available. However, by 15 December 2010 HMRC had completed 72% of its forecast volume of end of year reconciliations for the years 2008-09 and 2009-10. HMRC plans to have completed 90% by the end of December.

Income Tax

John Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has plans to merge income tax and national insurance as a means of tax simplification.

David Gauke: The Government aim for a tax system which is more competitive, simpler, greener and fairer, and keeps the system under continual review with a view to meeting these objectives. While national insurance shares some of the characteristics of income tax. it is a system of social insurance which determines entitlement to state pensions and other benefits. Therefore the two cannot easily be merged.

Independent Financial Advisers: Qualifications

Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether independent financial advisers will be able to opt out of markets for which they would otherwise be required to acquire a new qualification to practise from January 2013.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority's Retail Distribution Review will apply to all advisers in the retail investment market. Independent financial advisers will not require a new qualification to offer basic advice on stakeholder products such as pensions, as well as advice on savings, mortgages and insurance products that do not have an investment element.

Independent Financial Advisers: Qualifications

Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether exemptions will be made available to independent financial advisers of long standing from new qualifications that will be required for them to continue to practise from January 2013.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) Retail Distribution Review (RDR) will apply to all retail investment advisers including independent financial advisers, wealth managers, stockbrokers and banks. The FSA will recognise some higher qualifications that some long standing professional advisers have attained. It will publish further details of the future qualifications framework in January 2011.

Independent Financial Advisers: Qualifications

Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which qualifications held by independent financial advisers (IFAs) of long standing he expects will not meet the new examination benchmark for IFAs from January 2013.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority is responsible for developing the professionalism rules for the Retail Distribution Review and intends to publish a list of qualifications that will meet the required benchmark in January 2011.

Inheritance Tax

John Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the reform of inheritance tax.

David Gauke: The Budget in June 2010 confirmed that the inheritance tax threshold will be frozen at £325,000 until 2014-15. As set out in the coalition agreement, the Government have decided that making changes to the personal allowances for income tax should take priority over other tax cuts including cuts to inheritance tax. Any changes to the inheritance tax regime will then have to be considered with due regard to the Government's priorities of reducing the fiscal deficit and ensuring economic recovery. Any decision would be made through the usual Budget process.

Mortgages: Regulation

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received recent representations from mortgage providers on new regulations proposed by the Financial Services Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Government are committed to a healthy housing and mortgage market.
	The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is conducting a wholesale review of mortgage regulation in the UK, the 'Mortgage Market Review'.
	The Government believe that it is right for the FSA to ensure that the UK mortgage market has responsible lending practices. We will continue to work with the FSA, mortgage lenders and intermediaries, and consumer groups to ensure a mortgage market that is sustainable for all participants.
	The FSA published the 'Mortgage Market Review: Responsible Lending' in July. This paper forms one part of an ongoing consultation process.
	The FSA has stated that they will fully assess the potential impact on the market before implementing any rule changes.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Non-domestic Rates: Retail Trade

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be lost to the Exchequer if retail units in England and Wales with a rateable value of less than  (a) £5,000,  (b) £10,000 and  (c) £15,000 were exempted from business rates.

Bob Neill: I have been asked to reply.
	No estimates of the revenue lost if retail units in England and Wales were exempted from business rates have been made. This information is not currently held in the form requested.

Non-domestic Rates: Retail Trade

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many retail units with a rateable value of less than  (a) £5,000,  (b) £10,000 and  (c) £15,000 there are in England and Wales.

David Gauke: The Valuation Office Agency identifies the various types of property contained in the rating lists by the use of a specialist (SCAT) code. These data are consistent with the statistical release titled: "Non-domestic rateable values; 2005 and 2010 Local Ratings Lists-England and Wales", published on 28 October 2010. A copy of the statistical release is available at the following link:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/publications/statistical_releases/October-2010/NDR-RV-2005-And-2010-Local-Rating-Lists-England-And-Wales.html
	
		
			  Properties with a 'Retail' SCAT code of 021, 024, 088, 097, 098, 106, 139, 152, 154, 155, 210, 235, 243, 249, 251, 417, 425, 429, 442, 504, 507, 508 
			   Number heredita ments 
			  Rateable value  England  Wales  Total 
			 Less than 5,000 141,360 12,450 153,810 
			 Less than 10,000 275,510 19,510 295,020 
			 Less than 15,000 337,030 22,290 359,320

Private Finance Initiative

John Stevenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the private finance initiative.

Danny Alexander: At the spending review, the Government abolished the PFI credits system which provided Departments with a ring-fenced budget that could be used only to support local authority PFI projects. This change levels the playing field between PFI and other forms of procurement.
	The most recent survey of the performance of operational PFI projects was commissioned by HM Treasury in 2008. This was conducted by Ipsos MORI.

Public Expenditure

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which unit of his Department is responsible for calculations on the implementation of the Barnett formula.

Danny Alexander: The Devolved Countries Unit in the Treasury is responsible for calculations on implementation of the Barnett formula.

Public Expenditure: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total spending from the public purse in Harlow constituency in each year since 2000.

Danny Alexander: The Government do not hold information about total public funding allocated within parliamentary constituency boundaries. Public funding from central Government revenue grants allocated to Harlow district council for the years 2000-01 to 2009-10 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   £000( 1) 
			 2000-01 7,485 
			 2001-02 7,958 
			 2002-03 8,130 
			 2003-04 8,497 
			 2004-05 8,206 
			 2005-06 9,407 
			 2006-07 10,286 
			 2007-08 10,211 
			 2008-09 10,857 
			 2009-10 10,813 
			 (1) Source: Department for Communities and Local Government, Revenue Outturn (RO) returns. 
		
	
	The lowest level at which total public expenditure information is available is the region. Total identifiable expenditure on services in the east of England can be found in Chapter 9 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2010 (Cm 7890).

Public Sector: Borrowing

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the relationship between changes in market interest rates and levels of Government borrowing.

Danny Alexander: The Chancellor has frequent discussions with the Governor of the Bank of England on a wide range of issues including prospects for the UK economy.
	Fiscal policy is a competence of HM Treasury while the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has operational responsibility for monetary policy.

Public Sector: Pay

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an assessment of the effects on  (a) men and  (b) women of his proposals to freeze pay in the public sector.

Danny Alexander: The Emergency Budget announced a two year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector workforces, except for those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250 a year. This policy will help protect jobs and the quality of public services.
	The Government have assessed the impact of the pay freeze on men and women using Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data.
	The precise impact on individuals earning £21,000 or less will be determined by the relevant employer. However, compared with the previous Government's policy of a 1% pay cap for 2011-12 and 2012-13, it is likely that the emergency Budget policy will represent less income for public sector workers earning over £21,000-but an increase in income for those earning £21,000 or less.
	It is estimated that 65% of those employed by the public sector are female. However, 78% of those employed in the public sector earning £21,000 or less are female and will therefore benefit from the Government's policy.
	In addition, the £3.3 billion in savings from public sector pay restraint will help protect public sector jobs. Given that 65% of public sector employees are female around two thirds of jobs protected will be those of women. Pay restraint will also protect the provision of public services that are used by both women and men.

Taxation: Multinational Companies

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with European Commission representatives on amendments to the directive on the taxation of cross-border interests and royalty payments between associated companies.

David Gauke: The European Commission recently conducted a public consultation on extending the directive on the taxation of cross-border interest and royalty payments between associated companies. Treasury officials participated in discussions with representatives of the European Commission on this directive prior to the consultation. Treasury Ministers are engaged in dialogue with European Commissioners on a variety of issues, including tax.

Taxation: Multinational Companies

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether existing double taxation treaties have a disproportionate effect and compliance cost on  (a) the self-employed and  (b) small businesses based in the UK which are earning income from the exploitation of their intellectual property rights overseas.

David Gauke: Double taxation agreements (DTA) benefit UK businesses by reducing the level of tax they have to pay to foreign governments when doing business overseas or receiving income from overseas. The requirements imposed by foreign governments to enable businesses to claim relief are a matter for them. The UK aims to ensure that the requirements imposed by foreign governments are kept to the minimum required to ensure adequate compliance with the terms of the DTA. Where necessary the UK will make representations to the foreign government regarding their requirements.

Walker Review

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has issued guidance to  (a) Ofwat and  (b) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effect of Exchequer rules on levy-funded subsidies on the proposals of the Walker Review in respect of charging and metering for water and sewerage services.

Danny Alexander: We have not provided explicit guidance for DEFRA or Ofwat on the Walker Review's proposals in respect of charging and metering for water and sewerage services. However, the Treasury has provided DEFRA and Ofwat with "A quick guide to Levy-funded subsidies-Tax and Spend". This guide is intended as a brief outline of some of the issues that need to be considered with regard to levy-funded subsidies and the list of issues and questions it mentions is not exhaustive.
	I am placing a copy of "A quick guide to Levy-funded subsidies-Tax and Spend" in the House Library.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Robert Halfon: To ask the Leader of the House how much his Office spent on press cuttings services in each year since 1997.

George Young: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons joined the Cabinet Office in 2007.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1058W.

JUSTICE

Appeals

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeal cases relating to 
	(1)  bereavement benefit have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(2)  carer's allowance have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(3)  child support have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(4)  discrimination on grounds of religion or belief have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(5)  discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(6)  age discrimination have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(7)  managed migration have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(8)  asylum have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(9)  entry clearance have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(10)  family visit visas have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(11)  child benefit lone parent allowances have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(12)  tax credits have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(13)  the Compensation Recovery Unit have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(14)   (a) housing and  (b) council tax have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals (i) with legal representation, (ii) with legal representation funded by legal aid and (iii) without legal representation were upheld;
	(15)   (a) pensions credit,  (b) health in pregnancy grant,  (c) incapacity benefit,  (d) employment support allowance and  (e) disability working allowance have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals (i) with legal representation, (ii) with legal representation funded by legal aid and (iii) without legal representation were upheld;
	(16)  income support have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(17)  industrial death benefit have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(18)  attendance and disability living allowances have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(19)  vaccine damage have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(20)  the Social Fund have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(21)  severe disablement benefits and allowances have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(22)  retirement pension have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(23)  maternity benefits and allowances have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(24)  jobseeker's allowance have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(25)  industrial injuries disablement benefit have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld;
	(26)  home responsibilities protection have been heard in each of the last three years; and how many such appeals  (a) with legal representation,  (b) with legal representation funded by legal aid and  (c) without legal representation were upheld.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table provides a breakdown, by subject matter requested:
	The number of appeal cases heard;
	The number of cases with legal representation that were successful; and
	The number of cases without legal representation that were successful.
	It is not possible to provide information on the number of cases that were funded through legal aid as that level of detail is not recorded. It should also be noted that there are some gaps in information in the table. I will write to the hon. Member with the outstanding information once it is available.
	
		
			  Annex A 
			   Total number of appeal cases heard i.e. were determined at hearing, (oral or paper)  Number of appeal cases with representation where appeal successful( 1)  Number of appeals without representation where the appeal was successful. 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 236 Bereavement benefit 308 397 375 21 31 14 24 19 16 
			 237 Carer's allowance 1,130 693 762 99 58 49 112 61 54 
			 238 Child support(2) 3,098 3,230 3,163 285 262 275 1,158 1,217 1,080 
			 239 Discrimination on grounds of religion and belief  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 
			 240 Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 
			 241 Age discrimination  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 
			 242 Managed migration 19,740 18,805 32,158 (1)395 (1)593 (1)908  -  -  - 
			 243 Asylum 12,943 10,358 15,873 (1)4,491 (1)4,391 (1)6,442  -  -  - 
			 244 Entry clearance 57,056 73,256 71,779 (1)195 (1)240 (1)458  -  -  - 
			 245 Family visit visas 55,831 55,844 60,287 (1)51 (1)34 (1)93  -  -  - 
			 246 Child benefit lone parent allowances 836 914 1,066 38 41 38 86 80 80 
			 247 Tax credit(3) 513 691 867 24 38 44 32 64 90 
			 248 Compensation Recovery Unit 278 223 225 77 59 53 85 46 48 
			 249(a)(4) Housing 3,212 2,900 3,773 500 456 464 463 381 466 
			 249(b) Council tax 832 759 893 67 63 51 141 115 113 
			 250(a) Pensions credit 1,000 884 985 206 160 137 148 98 92 
			 250(b) Health in pregnancy grant 0 0 232 0 0 2 0 0 10 
			 250(c) Incapacity benefit 57,310 62,928 47,201 16,888 17,942 13,453 12,439 13,714 10,624 
			 250(d) Employment support allowance 0 27 50,791 0 0 9,504 0 1 9,476 
			 250(e) Disability working allowance 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 251 Income support 12,830 12,167 11,794 2,536 2,257 1,921 1,900 1,713 1,509 
			 252 Industrial death benefit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 253 Attendance and disability living allowances 61,182 56,662 54,560 19,324 16,887 15,122 8,291 7,205 7,256 
			 254 Vaccine damage 10 7 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 
			 255 Social Fund(5) 2,309 2,803 3,350 126 167 147 193 216 267 
			 256 Severe disablement benefit and allowances 107 85 99 34 21 25 13 17 20 
			 257 Retirement pension 450 415 608 23 20 12 28 22 24 
			 258 Maternity benefits and allowances 58 96 149 1 3 9 3 7 14 
			 259 Jobseeker's allowance 7,511 9,246 17,534 545 610 796 1,547 1,669 2,324 
			 260 Industrial injuries disablement benefit 6,046 5,266 4,870 1,201 928 828 1,214 1,056 1,032 
			 261 Home responsibilities protection 13 11 14 0 1 0 2 0 0 
			 (1)TS Immigration and Asylum cases, noted "publicly funded". (2) Includes assessments, departure referrals, departures and reforms. (3 )Includes child, disabled persons and working family and working tax credits. (4 )Assumed to mean housing benefit. (5)Includes funeral and maternity figures.

Appeals: Debts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeal cases relating to mis-calculation of debts have been heard  (a) in Coventry,  (b) in the West Midlands and  (c) nationally in each of the last five years; and how many such appeals (i) with and (ii) without legal aid were upheld.

Jonathan Djanogly: The question has been interpreted as relating to the overpayment of social security benefits. The following table shows the number of overpayment of benefit cases cleared at hearing for Coventry, West Midlands and nationally together with the number of hearing outcomes found in favour of the appellant. The information is only available from 2007-08 onwards.
	
		
			  Overpayment of benefit 
			   Coventry  West Midlands  National 
			   Cleared at hearing  Decision in favour of appellant  Cleared at hearing  Decision in favour of appellant  Cleared at hearing  Decision in favour of appellant 
			 2007-08 124 41 838 199 8,912 3,030 
			 2008-09 88 32 688 188 7,632 2,638 
			 2009-10 94 28 638 163 8,170 2,550 
		
	
	Information on the number of appeals heard with or without legal aid is not collected or reported on by the tribunal.
	At present in welfare benefit cases legal aid is only available for advice and assistance, not for legal representation. The appellant is required only to provide reasons for disagreeing with the decision in plain language. For those who need assistance on a welfare benefits matter, there is advice and assistance available from the voluntary sector as well as, for example, the benefits inquiry line.

Appeals: Disability Living Allowance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many upheld appeal cases relating to disability living allowance that were a result of  (a) administrative and  (b) procedural errors made by (i) government departments and (ii) local authorities there have been in each month of 2010 (A) in the West Midlands and (B) nationally.

Jonathan Djanogly: The first-tier tribunal-social security and child support does not hold the information requested as there is no business need or benefit to do so. The information can be provided only at a disproportionate cost by manually checking each individual case file. In addition, the first-tier tribunal (social security and child support) destroys appeal files six months after the conclusion of a case, so, for the majority of the period requested by the hon. Member, information is no longer available.

Barry Magistrates Court

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the data his Department took into account when taking the decision to close Barry magistrates court.

Jonathan Djanogly: The data relating to court utilisation rates and the estimated travel impact of closures is contained in annexes B and C respectively of the consultation response papers. Data concerning the financial and socio-economic impact of closures can be found in the impact assessments and analysis and research into the effect on different communities and groups of people is in the equality impact assessments.
	I would also emphasise that decisions were made following consideration of the many responses to consultation that were received and which are detailed throughout the response papers.

Coroners

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) open and  (b) suicide verdicts were returned in each coroners' jurisdiction in England and Wales in each year from 2000 to the latest date for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: A table showing the number of verdicts of suicide, and the number of open verdicts, reported by each coroner's district for each of the years 2000 to 2009 inclusive, has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Information relating to the year 2010 is not yet available, but will be published in the 2010 edition of the annual statistical bulletin "Deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales", which will be published on the Ministry of Justice website in May 2011.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what damage was caused to Supreme Court buildings during the demonstration held on 9 December 2010; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of making good the damage; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: During disturbances in Parliament square and Broad Sanctuary in the afternoon and evening of Thursday 9 December, the Supreme Court had panes of glass in 14 ground floor windows broken, including the destruction of original 97-year-old leaded lights. All the windows have secondary glazing and none was penetrated, albeit that one pane of the secondary glazing was damaged and has had to be replaced.
	Paint was sprayed on the main entrance doors, which were bolted shut against the protestors; and on the Portland stone walls of the court to the south of the main entrance.
	Paint was also sprayed on the semi-circular stone seating in Parliament Square in front of the main entrance but the seating is the responsibility of Westminster city council and the council cleaned off the paint.
	The costs for the repairs carried out to date amount to £7,375. This does not include the cost of the restorer's repair of the leaded lights for which the provisional cost is £9,000, nor the cost of painting the window putty beads when the putty has hardened.
	Some protestors also climbed over the railings around the court's perimeter to rip down pigeon netting across window reveals and to jump on the grilles over the building's "moat". Presently it is not clear whether these will have to be replaced.

Departmental Contracts

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to encourage small businesses to bid for contracts let by his Department; and what recent guidance he has provided to small businesses on bidding for such contracts.

Crispin Blunt: The Cabinet Office recently announced a package of measures designed to help government meet its aspiration that 25% of Government contracts go to small and medium sized enterprises. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is working closely with the Cabinet Office to ensure that these measures are embedded in its procurement practices.
	The MoJ also acts proactively to engage and attract the interest of the voluntary community and social enterprise sector (VCSE). Opportunities are currently advertised through "Supply to Government" and will shortly migrate to the new contracts finder portal where all Government opportunities over £10,000 will be published. Opportunities are also advertised through Clinks, a charity that assists in communication to the sector.
	Procurement activity is tailored to the value and complexity of the requirement but tends to be shorter and involve engagement opportunities with the sector via dialogue sessions to discuss the requirement. MoJ has recently implemented an e-procurement tool that is easy for small businesses and the VCSE to use. The MoJ procurement processes comply with the Cabinet Office VCSE Compact.

Departmental Contracts

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with voluntary and community groups on bidding for contracts let by his Department.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice has regular meetings with representatives from the voluntary and community sector to discuss matters of interest including accessing contracts.
	The Legal Services Commission meets regularly with representatives of the voluntary sector including Advice UK, Advice Service Alliance (ASA), Citizens Advice (Cit A), Housing Law Practitioners' Association (HLPA) and the Law Centres Federation. The Civil Contract Consultative Group, which also includes ASA, meets quarterly to share information and discuss overarching issues about contracts and tendering. Separate category specific meetings for social welfare law and immigration are held to resolve practical issues.
	We have a standing Advisory Group for the voluntary sector which covers all matters related to the sector's contribution to reducing reoffending including contracts. In developing proposals to open up the market to independent providers to bid for offender management services, the Ministry of Justice and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Agency held a market engagement workshop, prior to the publication on 7 December of our Green Paper 'Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders'. The workshop included organisations from the voluntary and community sectors, including those currently delivering our services and those interested in competing for future opportunities. The Green Paper makes clear the significant increase in opportunities for the sector to bid for contracts including as part of innovative payment by result approaches.
	NOMS met with independent providers including the voluntary sector, in consultation meetings in nine locations across the country to discuss opportunities for bidding for contracts around education, training and employment under the European Social Fund Co-financing Programme. These were followed up by a number of "meet the providers" events aimed at enabling smaller organisations from the sector to access subcontracting opportunities.
	The sector was, and is, widely engaged in advising NOMS on the specifications, benchmarking and costing exercise of all services required by prisons and probation. The timetable for the exercise is available on the MoJ website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/noms-sbc-programme.htm
	This too offers the sector a direct input into the design of services and their future tendering.

Employment Tribunal

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases have been heard by an Employment Tribunal  (a) in Coventry,  (b) in the West Midlands and  (c) nationally in each of the last five years; and how many such cases (i) with and (ii) without legal aid were upheld.

Jonathan Djanogly: It has not been possible to provide a breakdown of the number of cases specifically heard by employment tribunals in Coventry and the West Midlands. However, the following table lists the number of claims disposed of either at hearing or by way of a default judgment by employment tribunals nationally and in the Midlands group, ie Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Shrewsbury in the period 2005-10.
	A default judgment may be issued where the respondent has not presented a response to the employment tribunal within the relevant time limit (or the response has been entered but not accepted).
	Legal aid is available for advice in respect of an employment tribunal claim (though not for advocacy before the tribunal), and for both advice and representation for appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. The employment tribunals do not hold information on whether a claim has attracted legal aid.
	
		
			  Employment tribunals jurisdictional claims successful and unsuccessful for offices in the Midlands and Nationally 2005-10 
			  Office  Financial year  Successful at hearing-claimant  Default judgments issued  Unsuccessful at hearing  Dismissed at preliminary hearing  Total disposals at hearing 
			 Birmingham 2005-06 1,500 140 900 160 2,700 
			  2006-07 2,300 130 950 230 3,600 
			  2007-08 2,000 39 820 270 3,100 
			  2008-09 1,700 29 1,200 200 3,100 
			  2009-10 4,100 550 2,000 240 6,900 
			
			 Leicester 2005-06 1,100 420 190 38 1,700 
			  2006-07 490 300 280 31 1,100 
			  2007-08 380 730 280 40 1,400 
			  2008-09 350 420 270 35 1,100 
			  2009-10 760 750 310 25 1,800 
			
			 Nottingham 2005-06 420 310 230 36 1,000 
			  2006-07 850 440 310 80 1,700 
			  2007-08 600 550 430 44 1,600 
			  2008-09 610 560 370 97 1,600 
			  2009-10 490 670 280 76 1,500 
			
			 Shrewsbury 2005-06 490 95 210 72 870 
			  2006-07 760 49 330 120 1,300 
			  2007-08 590 70 200 52 910 
			  2008-09 930 210 320 70 1,500 
			  2009-10 250 110 87 14 460 
			
			 Midlands 2005-06 3,500 970 1,500 310 6,300 
			  2006-07 4,400 920 1,900 460 7,700 
			  2007-08 3,500 1,400 1,700 410 7,000 
			  2008-09 3,600 1,200 2,200 410 7,400 
			  2009-10 5,600 2,100 2,700 360 10,800 
			
			 National 2005-06 29,100 5,600 9,800 2,500 47,000 
			  2006-07 21,800 5,800 11,000 2,900 41,500 
			  2007-08 20,600 6,000 10,800 3,800 41,200 
			  2008-09 22,700 7,700 14,500 3,400 48,300 
			  2009-10 28,500 16,000 14,300 4,600 63,400 
			  Notes: 1. Rounding: All figures are rounded independently according to the following conventions. Values less than 100 remain as unit values; values from 100 to 999 are rounded to nearest ten; and values of 1,000 and over are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Claims disposed figures are calculated with reference to the office at which the claim was accepted. The Shrewsbury office was changed from a hearing and administrative centre to a hearing centre administered by Birmingham in 2009-10, therefore, the number of claims disposed attributed to Shrewsbury in 2009-10 is lower as this office no longer accepts claims.  Source: Employment Tribunal Management Information Database and Employment Tribunal Annual Reports.

Family Courts: Social Workers

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many independent social workers or equivalent self-employed experts were employed by Family courts in 2009-10.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested on the number of social workers instructed by the county courts was 311 for the Family Proceedings courts (magistrates) and 152 for the county courts for the period 2009-10.

Judiciary: Equal Opportunities

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on measures to make the judiciary more representative of the composition of the population.

Kenneth Clarke: The Government support, in principle, the recommendations delivered by the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity in its February 2010 report. The recommendations seek to deliver speedier and sustained progress to a more diverse judiciary at every level and in all Courts in England and Wales, without diminishing appointment on merit.
	My noble Friend, Lord McNally, is a member of the Judicial Diversity Taskforce established to oversee the delivery of the Panel's recommendations. The Taskforce's other members are the Lord Chief Justice, the Senior President of Tribunals, the Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Chairman of the Bar Council, the President of the Law Society and the President of the Institute of Legal Executives.

Legal Aid Scheme

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria were used to determine the new matter starts available in the Civil Legal Aid Tender 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is the non-departmental public body with responsibility for the administration of the legal aid fund and the tender process and award of legal aid contracts are operational matters for the LSC. In this tender process the LSC aimed to commission services based more closely on where clients need them.
	In social welfare law the LSC based the numbers of New Matter Starts available on its indicative needs model, which uses demographic data to show which the likely level of need for legal aid services. This was combined with information on current service provision. Where the needs model differed from current service provision, the New Matter Starts made available in that area were increased or decreased by up to 10% compared with current service provision.
	In mental health, immigration and asylum and the low volume categories the LSC based the numbers of New Matter Starts available on historical data showing client location.
	For all categories other than the low volume categories the LSC also produced procurement plans prior to tenders being opened setting out the services it would be procuring in each procurement area.

Legal Aid Scheme: Low Incomes

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the eligibility criteria for legal aid in providing access to justice for those with low or no incomes.

Jonathan Djanogly: The financial eligibility criteria for civil legal aid are intended to focus it on the most vulnerable. At present those in receipt of certain welfare benefits automatically qualify financially for civil legal aid. For all others, in the areas where means testing is required, those with a gross annual income of £31,884 are potentially eligible for legal aid, depending on the amount of their assessed disposable income and/or capital.
	On 15 November the Justice Secretary announced the publication of a consultation on a package of proposals for the reform of legal aid, including proposals to reform the financial eligibility criteria. The consultation paper: 'Proposals for the Reform of Legal Aid in England and Wales' is available at the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/legal-aid-reform-151110.htm

Legal Aid: Contracts

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information was contained in the letter from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in his Department of 9 August 2010 to the Law Society on provisions in the 2007 unified civil contracts for extension of those contracts beyond October 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The letter I wrote to Linda Lee, President of the Law Society, on 9 August 2010 stated that:
	"I understand that there is no further provision in the current contracts for extension beyond their expiry date in October".
	Prior to September 2010 the Unified Contract contained a provision that notice of any further extension of the contract must be given at least three months' notice prior to 31 March 2010. Therefore at the time the letter of 9 August was written there was no power on the face of the contract allowing for any further extension. Following an application for judicial review of the contract tender for family legal services by the Law Society, the Legal Services Commission agreed to a one month extension to preserve the status quo and ensure continuity of provision pending the outcome of the judicial review. The mechanism to achieve this was to amend the above notice provision in the contract; this amendment was made pursuant to Clause 13.4 (minor amendments). This was not something envisaged at the time of my letter. Thereafter when judgment was given in the judicial review further amendments were made to the extension provisions of the contract to allow for it to be extended for family services only. Those were made under Clause 13.2, which allows for amendment in response to a court judgment. This approach was approved by the court at the final hearing of the judicial review.

Legal Aid: Illegal Immigrants

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on legal aid for those who entered the UK illegally in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Legal aid in England and Wales is administered by the Legal Services Commission (LSC). For the purpose of granting legal aid, the LSC does not distinguish between those having entered the UK illegally from others seeking legal aid in immigration and asylum matters, or any other matter. Therefore, the information is not held by the LSC.
	In Scotland and Northern Ireland legal aid is a devolved matter.

Legal Services Commission

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Legal Services Commission (LSC) takes to assist its staff to comply with their obligations under the LSC's Employee Charter; what procedures are in place for ensuring staff compliance with the Charter; whether any enforcement mechanisms for staff operate with regard to the Charter; on how many occasions the provisions of the Charter have been breached by the LSC; and what actions have been taken in each such case.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Employee Charter is not contractual and therefore the Legal Services Commission (LSC) does not enforce employee obligations under the Charter. The Charter was developed by employees who volunteered to participate in its development. The LSC has incorporated the Charter into its core behaviours which underpin the personal development reviews for all LSC employees.
	If an employee felt there had been non-compliance with the Charter they would have the opportunity to have this addressed through: discussion with their line manager or union representative, LSC internal mediation, the LSC's grievance procedure and, potentially, the LSC's disciplinary procedure.
	To date the LSC does not have any grievances specifically relating to Employee Charter non-compliance.

Legal Services Commission

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what obligations are placed on staff of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) under its Employee Charter; when the Charter was first produced; by what means it was disseminated to LSC staff; what changes have been made to the Charter since it was first produced; on what date and for what reasons such changes have been made; and what information has been produced by the LSC in connection with the Charter.

Jonathan Djanogly: The LSC launched its Employee Charter in conjunction with a new behavioural framework in September 2008. The Charter was developed by employees as an expression of the aspirational values of the organisation. While the Charter is not intended as a performance measurement tool, the behavioural framework describes how the LSC's competencies can be demonstrated through behaviours and is used in performance development review meetings and for recruitment.
	The method of dissemination of the Charter was decided by local senior management teams and varied across the sites of the LSC. All staff had access to it through an intranet article and mention in the 'core brief' (standardised monthly face to face communication from managers). Booklets were available for distribution and each office had a 'champion' who ran information sessions in their regions. It is included in induction packs for new starters.
	The Charter has not been revised since it was first produced.
	The Charter is published with the behavioural framework in the booklet titled 'Empowering our Future'. It is also referenced in the Employee Handbook which contains terms and conditions of employment. Employees who demonstrate the values of the Charter have been recognised publicly with intranet stories and posters for notice boards describing how their behaviour makes a positive difference to the LSC.

Legal Services Commission

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the Department of the Legal Services Commission headed by its Chief Legal Adviser was renamed; for what reasons it was renamed; and what changes in its functions there have been since 1 April 2007.

Jonathan Djanogly: In May 2010, the three separate departments of Legal, Procurement and Policy were merged into one, now referred to as Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy. The overall functions of each have remained the same, with the changes having taken place in reporting structure. The director of this department reports direct to the chief executive on legal matters and the executive director of commissioning on all other matters.

Legal Services Commission: Part-time Employment

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the Legal Services Commission's definition is of part-time employment.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission defines part-time employment as working less than 35 hours per week. One full-time equivalent (FTE) position equates to working at least 35 hours per week.

Legal Services Commission: Working Hours

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what normal working hours are required of full-time employees of the Legal Services Commission (LSC); and what provision there is in the contracts of employment for LSC personnel to work in excess of normal working hours.

Jonathan Djanogly: A full-time equivalent employee at the LSC works 35 hours per week. The LSC adheres to the EU working time directive and the policy on overtime is contained within the LSC's Employee Handbook, which states
	"It is not the LSC's aim to encourage (staff) to work overtime. However, there will be occasions where operational requirements necessitate additional work to be undertaken. These will be organised by (the) manager. Overtime requirements must be requested by the Line Manager in charge."
	Where overtime has been agreed, employees are entitled to overtime pay arrangements as set out in the LSC's overtime policy.
	Alternatively, under the LSC's flexi time scheme employees at lower management level and below can accrue up to 14 hours of flexi credit during each accounting period (four weeks).

Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy: Manpower

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was paid in  (a) redundancy and  (b) severance payments to each former employee of the Legal Services Commission's Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy department and its predecessor departments in each year since 1 April 2007;
	(2)  how many employees with permanent contracts in the Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy department of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and its predecessor departments left the LSC in each year since 1 April 2007; and what their  (a) name,  (b) job title and  (c) date of departure was in each case;
	(3)  how many temporary staff were employed by the Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy department of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and its predecessor departments in each year since 1 April 2007; and what the cost of  (a) recruitment,  (b) national insurance and  (c) remuneration costs were of such temporary personnel in each year.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not possible to answer the question in the exact format requested. The LSC has undergone significant restructuring since April 2007. Each restructure has aimed to ensure that the LSC is better prepared for the future and that it has the right people with the right skills and experience to deliver legal aid. Various people have moved between departments and the departments themselves have been renamed and restructured. To track the staff and match them to departments is not possible except at disproportionate cost. However, I am able to provide total figures for the whole LSC as set out in the following table. Please note that the figures for the number of employees leaving the LSC include those who have left for reasons other than redundancy and so these figures should not be compared directly with the severance costs reported.
	
		
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 to date 
			 Number of employees leaving LSC 169 127 198 85 
			 Severance costs (£000) 1,119 2,947 4,139 1,371 
			 Number of temporary staff (full-time equivalent) 220 268 159 200 
			 Cost of temporary staff (£000) 5,781 9,750 6,647 3,495

Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy: Manpower

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff are employed on permanent contracts in the Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy department of the Legal Services Commission.

Jonathan Djanogly: 89 full-time equivalents are employed in the Legal, Commissioning and Operational Policy department of the Legal Services Commission.

Maghull Prison: Serco Group PLC

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what costs his Department has incurred as a result of the cancellation of the contract with Serco Group plc to build Maghull Prison;
	(2)  what estimate his Department made of the construction costs for Maghull Prison at the commencement of the project;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the level of savings which will accrue to his Department as a result of cancelling the contract to build Maghull Prison;
	(4)  how much his Department has spent on the development of plans to build a new prison in Maghull.

Crispin Blunt: As financial close had yet to be reached on the contract to design, construct, manage and finance the proposed prison at Maghull, no contract cancellation charges are due.
	The cost of the contract for the proposed prison was £567 million, to be paid over a 261/2 year period. The construction costs, which were included in the total contract cost, were estimated at around £95 million.
	A total of £16 million has been spent on the site since it was purchased in 1998. This includes site purchase costs, site security, obtaining planning consent and detailed planning permission, discharging the planning conditions and demolishing the buildings that were on site.
	Not proceeding with the project will save a total of £567 million in running costs. We are now likely to save around £14 million to £16 million more over the Spending Review Period than if we had decided to continue. This saving would have continued beyond this period at around £7 million to £9 million per year once the proposed prison had become operational.
	The cost of external professional advice (including legal, financial, insurance and technical advisors, as well as Partnerships UK), for the procurement of prisons at Maghull and Belmarsh West was about £2.4 million. As the tendering process for both prisons was run simultaneously, a breakdown of the cost of external professional advice for Maghull alone is not available.

Magistrates Courts

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent estimate is of the maintenance costs required for the upkeep of the 18 magistrates and local courts in Wales listed in the court closures consultation paper.

Jonathan Djanogly: The most recent estimate, as at July 2010, of the total backlog maintenance for the 18 courts in Wales that were proposed for closure is £1,151,000.
	Following the decisions announced on 14 December, HMCS will continue to undertake any essential maintenance work required until the courts which are to close have been formally closed and the buildings disposed of.

Moorland Prison

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prison officers and  (b) prisoners were injured during the incident at Moorlands prison in November 2010.

Crispin Blunt: During the course of the disturbances at HMPYOI Moorland between 2 and 4 November  (a) no members of staff were injured and  (b) seven prisoners were injured.

North East England

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which Ministers in his Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

Kenneth Clarke: The Prisons Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr Blunt), visited Durham Probation and HMP Frankland on 27 and 28 May 2010 as part of a series of visits to prisons and probation areas.

Prisoners' Release

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria he plans to use to determine the release of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences who have completed their minimum tariff.

Crispin Blunt: On 7 December we published proposals in the Green Paper, "Breaking the Cycle: effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders", for public consultation. These proposals included the reform of sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPPs).
	We intend that, as now, offenders who have completed their minimum term will undergo a risk assessment before being considered for release, and the Parole Board will consider whether each individual case is suitable for release on licence. We are, however, proposing to make amendments to the risk test used by the Parole Board, so that before continuing detention the Parole Board will need to satisfy themselves that the offender presents a risk which cannot be managed in the community. These proposals have been published on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	www.justice.gov.uk

Prisoners: Sentencing

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were serving a custodial sentence of  (a) five years or fewer,  (b) four years or fewer,  (c) three years or fewer,  (d) two years or fewer and  (e) one year or less for each category of offence in the latest period for which figures are available.  [Official Report, 21 March 2011, Vol. 525, c. 17MC.]

Crispin Blunt: The following table provides information on custodial sentences in prison establishments in England and Wales by sentence length band and offence category as at 30 September 2010.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			  Custodial prison population as of 30 September 2010 by sentence length and offence category 
			   Sentence length 
			  Offence category  Less than five years  Less than four years  Less than three years  Less than two years  Less than one year 
			 Violence against the person 7,033 5,991 4,846 3,535 1,761 
			 Sexual offences 2,315 1,753 1,232 720 212 
			 Robbery 3,513 2,486 1,500 619 143 
			 Burglary 5,053 4,188 2,954 1,526 507 
			 Theft and handling 3,719 3,517 3,207 2,768 2,047 
			 Fraud and forgery 1,225 1,066 903 698 324 
			 Drug offences 5,866 4,370 2,677 1,085 229 
			 Motoring offences 877 857 823 759 547 
			 Other offences 4,851 4,383 3,849 3,234 2,234 
			 Offences not recorded 190 159 128 107 92

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what costs his Department has incurred as a result of the cancellation of the prison building programme.

Crispin Blunt: Costs of about £25.1 million have been incurred as a result of the decisions not to proceed with the projects at Runwell, Glen Parva and Maghull.
	However, the prison building programme has not been cancelled and new prisons at Belmarsh West and Featherstone two are expected to be delivered by the end of April 2012.

Prisons: Rehabilitation

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on drug rehabilitation in prisons in 2010; and how much he plans to spend on such purposes in 2011.

Crispin Blunt: In the financial year 2010-11 the Ministry of Justice allocated a total of £71.4 million for drug and alcohol treatment services in prisons and young offender institutions across England and Wales. In addition to this Department of Health fund clinical services in prison primarily through the integrated drug treatment system.
	The recent spending review confirmed that health services will now be responsible for funding and commissioning drug and alcohol treatment in all prisons in England. Ministry of Justice will work closely with Department of Health to drive efficiencies in drug and alcohol treatment in prisons and the community in order to achieve better results for those in contact with the criminal justice system. The recently published "Cross-Government Drugs Strategy and the Ministry of Justice green paper Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders" sets out some of our proposals for achieving this.

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding his Department allocated to the provision of support in the criminal justice system for victims of rape in each year since 2005; and what such funding he plans to provide in each year of the spending review period.

Crispin Blunt: Since 2005 the following amounts have been allocated by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (which was subsumed under the Ministry of Justice in June 2010) to fund support for victims of sexual violence:
	Over financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 a total of £4 million from recovered proceeds of crime was allocated to improving support services for victims of sexual crime. This was split between improving both statutory (developing and extending the network of SARCs) and voluntary-sector provision for victims of sexual crime.
	Since 2006-07 £1.25 million has been allocated annually through the Victims' Fund towards the continued development of voluntary-sector support services. Since 2007-08 this has been funded through the victim surcharge, a £15 levy on all fines imposed in the criminal courts. In 2010-11 £1.25 million of surcharge revenue was combined with a £1 million contribution from the Government Equalities Office to form a single fund of £2.25 million for the sexual violence voluntary sector.
	The Government are committed to improving support for victims of rape by providing long-term, stable funding to existing rape crisis centres and establishing new centres where there are gaps in provision. An announcement on how we will implement the commitment will be made in the new year.

Reparation By Offenders

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many third sector organisations were supported by community payback schemes in 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service does not routinely collect information in relation to organisations supported by Community Payback. A survey of Community Payback was conducted in March 2010. During that month in excess of 200,000 hours of work were provided for voluntary sector organisations, with 1,543 work projects being operated which benefited the voluntary sector.

Reparation By Offenders

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders completed community payback orders in 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: A total of 67,692 offenders successfully completed Community Payback sentences in 2009-10.

Reparation By Offenders

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average group size was of community payback work groups in 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: The size of Community Payback work groups was not collected for the period requested. The NOMS Specification and Benchmarking programme suggested an average group size of seven offenders-though this will vary depending on the nature of the work.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 668-70W, on sentencing, how many offences there were in each category by  (a) gender and  (b) ethnicity.

Crispin Blunt: Tables 1 to 5 show figures for sentences given for indictable offences to offenders with 16 or more previous convictions or cautions, who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence, by category of offence and gender. Tables 6 to 10 show figures for sentences given for indictable offences to offenders with 16 or more previous convictions or cautions, who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence, by category of offence and ethnicity. These figures are derived from table 6.2 of 'Sentencing Statistics: England and Wales 2009' which was published on 21 October 2010.
	The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer (PNC), which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police. The ethnicity information recorded on the PNC reflects the police officer's view of the offender's ethnicity.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of offenders with 16 to 25 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and gender, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 Violence against the person 2,036 157 2,046 224 2,216 255 
			 Sexual offences 62 - 84 1 62 1 
			 Burglary 1,645 56 1,630 59 1,503 54 
			 Robbery 44 8 63 11 60 12 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 10,040 2,047 11,326 2,384 11,590 2,450 
			 Fraud and forgery 575 100 583 98 600 119 
			 Criminal damage 649 50 584 31 563 31 
			 Drug offences 3,673 289 4,405 346 4,900 360 
			 Indictable motoring offences 122 3 117 - 116 4 
			 Other indictable offences 3,368 359 3,153 358 2,877 330 
			 Total 22,214 3,069 23,991 3,512 24,487 3,616 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of offenders with 26 to 50 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and gender, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 Violence against the person 1,094 102 1,131 110 1,243 120 
			 Sexual offences 28 2 24 2 27 - 
			 Burglary 997 31 1,124 29 1,086 30 
			 Robbery 11 5 25 5 14 2 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 8,359 1,282 10,019 1,640 11,080 1,896 
			 Fraud and forgery 276 47 307 48 301 55 
			 Criminal damage 263 11 268 15 275 18 
			 Drug offences 1,781 105 2,253 149 2,672 161 
			 Indictable motoring offences 46 1 47 - 32 1 
			 Other indictable offences 1,736 189 1,802 182 1,745 155 
			 Total 14,591 1,775 17,000 2,180 18,475 2,438 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of offenders with 51 to 75 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and gender, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			
			 Violence against the person 138 13 169 17 215 36 
			 Sexual offences 3 - 4 - 3 - 
			 Burglary 53 3 59 2 68 4 
			 Robbery - - - 1 - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 990 105 1,273 182 1,702 201 
			 Fraud and forgery 23 3 28 9 26 5 
			 Criminal damage 19 3 26 2 22 - 
			 Drug offences 81 9 122 9 178 21 
			 Indictable motoring offences 1 - 2 1 1 - 
			 Other indictable offences 136 25 167 18 160 18 
			 Total 1,444 161 1,850 241 2,375 285 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Number of offenders with 76 to 100 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and gender, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 Violence against the person 70 6 66 15 83 11 
			 Sexual offences 1 - - - - - 
			 Burglary 2 - 11 - 11 1 
			 Robbery - - - - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 174 26 235 38 251 29 
			 Fraud and forgery 1 1 5 2 9 1 
			 Criminal damage 2 - 9 - 1 - 
			 Drug offences 3 2 17 3 14 5 
			 Indictable motoring offences - - - - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 39 7 39 5 34 5 
			 Total 292 42 382 63 403 52 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Number of offenders with 101 or more previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and gender, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 Violence against the person 42 9 65 20 68 25 
			 Sexual offences - - - - 1 - 
			 Burglary - - 4 1 1 - 
			 Robbery - - - - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 120 19 166 37 217 24 
			 Fraud and forgery 3 2 2 2 1 1 
			 Criminal damage 4 - - 1 - - 
			 Drug offences 3 2 3 3 5 4 
			 Indictable motoring offences - - - - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 27 12 28 7 27 11 
			 Total 199 44 269 71 320 65 
			  Note: These figures do not include those with an unknown gender. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 6: Number of offenders with 16 to 25 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and ethnicity, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  N R  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR 
			 Violence against the person 1,983 163 33 3 11 2,043 158 45 7 17 2,218 193 46 3 11 
			 Sexual offences 58 4 - - - 77 7 - - 1 59 3 1 - - 
			 Burglary 1,587 86 18 2 8 1,570 97 14 3 5 1,438 85 25 2 7 
			 Robbery 40 9 1 - 2 56 14 3 - 1 64 7 1 - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 11,005 736 247 35 66 12,568 758 279 27 78 12,858 765 327 33 59 
			 Fraud and forgery 596 49 20 2 8 605 46 24 2 4 639 45 28 2 5 
			 Criminal damage 659 29 4 - 7 592 15 2 2 4 563 22 4 - 5 
			 Drug offences 3,355 419 144 23 21 4,053 496 170 14 18 4,388 616 218 19 19 
			 Indictable motoring offences 107 12 3 - 3 107 6 3 - 1 106 9 4 - 1 
			 Other indictable offences 3,371 256 72 12 18 3,194 219 75 2 22 2,875 249 61 4 18 
			 Total 22,761 1,763 542 77 144 24,865 1,816 615 57 151 25,208 1,994 715 63 125 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 7: Number of offenders with 26 to 50 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and ethnicity, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR 
			 Violence against the person 1,088 86 14 1 7 1,134 82 17 2 6 1,238 97 16 6 6 
			 Sexual offences 28 1 - 1 - 23 1 1 - 1 24 1 - 1 1 
			 Burglary 973 46 3 1 5 1,077 64 9 - 3 1,036 58 14 3 5 
			 Robbery 11 5 - - - 23 5 2 - - 14 2 - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 8,862 623 98 19 39 10,809 666 109 33 42 11,987 746 151 36 56 
			 Fraud and forgery 303 15 5 - - 324 23 6 1 1 326 23 6 - 1 
			 Criminal damage 254 14 3 - 3 274 3 2 - 4 281 6 2 2 2 
			 Drug offences 1,691 159 27 3 7 2,141 200 36 6 19 2,501 263 52 9 8 
			 Indictable motoring offences 42 4 1 - - 43 3 1 - - 31 2 - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 1,752 138 20 2 13 1,835 116 23 2 8 1,771 102 16 5 6 
			 Total 15,004 1,091 171 27 74 17,683 1,163 206 44 84 19,209 1,300 257 62 85 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 8: Number of offenders with 51 to 75 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and ethnicity, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR 
			 Violence against the person 133 18 - - - 173 12 1 - - 229 18 3 - 1 
			 Sexual offences 3 - - - - 3 1 - - - 2 1 - - - 
			 Burglary 54 2 - - - 58 2 1 - - 65 6 1 - - 
			 Robbery - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 1,003 76 12 1 3 1,332 98 17 2 6 1,754 124 18 5 2 
			 Fraud and forgery 18 4 3 - 1 28 5 4 - - 28 1 2 - - 
			 Criminal damage 20 2 - - - 27 1 - - - 21 1 - - - 
			 Drug offences 77 11 1 1 - 109 18 2 2 - 163 29 3 1 3 
			 Indictable motoring offences 1 - - - - 3 - - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 147 13 1 - - 175 9 1 - - 172 4 2 - - 
			 Total 1,456 126 17 2 4 1,908 147 26 4 6 2,435 184 29 6 6 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 9: Number of offenders with 76 to 100 previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and ethnicity, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR 
			 Violence against the person 74 2 - - - 78 3 - - - 82 12 - - - 
			 Sexual offences 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Burglary 1 1 - - - 11 - - - - 12 - - - - 
			 Robbery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 190 8 1 1 - 252 17 - 4 - 257 20 - 3 - 
			 Fraud and forgery 2 - - - - 5 2 - - - 9 1 - - - 
			 Criminal damage 2 - - - - 9 - - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Drug offences 5 - - - - 16 4 - - - 17 2 - - - 
			 Indictable motoring offences - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 46 - - - - 41 2 - 1 - 38 1 - - - 
			 Total 321 11 1 1 0 412 28 0 5 0 416 36 0 3 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 10: Number of offenders with 101 or more previous convictions or cautions who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence by offence category and ethnicity, 2007-09 
			  England and Wales 
			   Number of offenders 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR  White  Black  Asian  Other  NR 
			 Violence against the person 47 2 1 - 1 81 - - - 4 88 4 1 - - 
			 Sexual offences - - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Burglary - - - - - 4 1 - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Robbery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 122 6 2 - 9 187 10 - - 6 224 6 1 - 10 
			 Fraud and forgery 3 1 - - 1 3 1 - - - 2 - - - - 
			 Criminal damage 4 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 Drug offences 4 1 - - - 6 - - - - 8 1 - - - 
			 Indictable motoring offences - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
			 Other indictable offences 37 1 1 - - 33 1 - - 1 34 2 - - 2 
			 Total 217 11 4 0 11 315 14 0 0 11 358 13 2 0 12 
			 NR = Not recorded.

Slavery

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases relating to  (a) domestic slavery and  (b) trafficked women have been heard (i) in Coventry, (ii) in the West Midlands and (iii) nationally in each of the last five years; and how many such cases (A) with and (B) without legal aid were upheld.

Crispin Blunt: Cases related to human trafficking in the period 2005 to 2009 (latest available) were proceeded against under Sexual Offences Act 2003 and for forced labour under Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.
	The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for these offences in the west midlands police force area and England and Wales, 2005 to 2009 is shown in the following table. There were no reported proceedings of these offences at individual courts within the Coventry local justice area.
	Cases of domestic slavery may also be dealt with under S71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which came into force on 6 April 2010. Court proceedings data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
	Data collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice contain information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. Information about the circumstances of each case, other than that specified in statute, is not collected centrally. It is not possible to separately identify from proceedings for offences of human trafficking those cases which related specifically to the trafficking of women or whether legal aid was provided.
	
		
			  N umber of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 for human trafficking offences( 1)  in England and Wales and the west midlands police force area, 2005 - 09( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4,)( )( 5) 
			  Statute   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			  England and Wales   
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 Proceeded against 26 40 25 53 33 
			  Found guilty 12 15 15 24 23 
			
			 Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 Proceeded against 1 3 2 8 14 
			  Found guilty 0 6 8 0 2 
			
			 Total Proceeded against 27 43 27 61 47 
			  Found guilty 12 21 23 24 25 
			
			  West midlands   
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 Proceeded against 5 2 0 0 6 
			  Found guilty 0 2 2 0 1 
			
			 Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 Proceeded against 0 0 0 0 3 
			  Found guilty 0 0 0 0 0 
			
			 Total Proceeded against 5 2 0 0 9 
			  Found guilty 0 2 2 0 1 
			  Notes: Includes offences under: (1) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 and the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s.57 -Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation -Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation -Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 s.4(1 ) and (5) -Trafficking people into the UK for the purpose of exploitation -Trafficking people within the UK for the purpose of exploitation -Trafficking people out of the UK (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (5) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has plans to review the level of employer contribution to the Access to Work programme.

Maria Miller: Access to Work is a programme that supports disabled people with the extra costs they may face over and above what would be judged to be reasonable for the employer to cover themselves to fulfil their legal obligations under equality legislation.
	The level of contributions made by employers was adjusted from April 2010 so that larger employers contribute more than small employers, with micro employers exempted from contributions. We will keep the level of expected contributions under review, to ensure that employers contribute at a reasonable level and the programme continues to be as effective and efficient as possible.

Access to Work Programme

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on providing employees with specialist adapted equipment through the Access to Work programme.

Maria Miller: The Access to Work programme provides funding for a wide range of practical support to help disabled people get and keep employment, including specialist or adapted equipment that is beyond what it is reasonable to expect an employer to provide. Access to Work continues to be an important part of the range of employment support that the Government have in place to assist disabled people.

Annuitising Sums

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to  (a) facilitate and  (b) reduce the cost of annuitising sums of less than £5,000.

Steve Webb: There are already rules in the pensions tax system designed to help those with a low level of overall pension savings, or with individual, small occupational pension pots.
	The trivial commutation rule allow individuals who are 60 or over with total pension savings below £18,000 to withdraw all their savings as a lump sum. The first 25% of this lump sum is tax-free, with the remainder taxable as income. In addition, certain small occupational pension pots of less than £2,000 can also be taken as a lump sum, even where an individual has savings in excess of the aggregate limit.
	Some people may already be able to amalgamate their savings, or may be offered an annuity by their pension provider. Evidence shows that an annuity can be purchased with pension pots of as little as £5,000.
	The Government recognise that some people with pots of less that £5,000 may have difficulties when it comes to annuitisation. DWP is considering the long-term consequences of automatic-enrolment to better understand the implications for employers and schemes in administering small pots and also to help individuals maximise their savings.
	DWP is working with HMT, HMRC, FSA and TPR to share knowledge. We will consider whether any action may be needed to address issues around small pots.

Child Poverty Act 2010

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the implementation of the Child Poverty Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The coalition document reaffirmed our commitment to the goal of ending child poverty by 2020 and the importance the Government place on tackling child poverty and improving life chances cannot be overstated.
	We have today published a consultation on our approach to child poverty. The consultation fulfils the requirement in the Child Poverty Act 2010 to consult with specified groups, including children, young people and their parents in developing a child poverty strategy. We will publish our first strategy under the Act in spring 2011.
	Local authorities and partners are currently taking forward their needs assessments and developing strategies in accordance with the requirements in Part 2 of the Act and a package of support developed with the sector was launched in September.

Child Support Agency

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many clients of the Child Support Agency are registered under the  (a) 1993 and  (b) 2002 scheme.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clients of the Child Support Agency are registered under the (a) 1993 and (b) 2002 scheme.
	To clarify the Child Support Agency runs two child maintenance schemes; the Old Scheme, used for cases assessed between 5 April 1993 and 2 March 2003, and the Current Scheme, used for cases assessed after 3 March 2003.
	At September 2010 the Child Support Agency was dealing with 1,153,900 live and assessed cases of which 738,300 cases were operating under Current Scheme rules and 415,600 cases under Old Scheme rules.
	The latest figures showing the caseload of the Child Support Agency by scheme are routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS); the latest version of which is available in the House of Commons Library or online at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/statistics.html
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Cold Weather Payments

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has assessed the accuracy of existing mechanisms to measure temperatures for the purposes of making cold weather payments; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The postcode to weather station linkages used for the cold weather payment scheme are reviewed after the end of each winter. Expert advice is sought from the Met Office and changes made where appropriate before the start of the next winter period. Representations made during the previous winter about the suitability of the links between postcode districts and individual weather stations are also considered. Using postcodes linked to representative weather stations is a straightforward way to administer the scheme as the benefit computer systems can identify eligible customers and enables payments to be issued quickly and in the main automatically.
	For winter 2010-11 there are seven new weather stations used as part of the cold weather payment scheme, while one will no longer be used. As a result, some of the postcodes that were linked to existing weather stations during winter 2009-10 have been reassigned to the new weather stations.

Cold Weather Payments

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether those entitled to receive cold weather payments will be entitled to receive such payments after the introduction of the universal credit.

Steve Webb: The recent White Paper "Universal Credit: welfare that works" (Cm 7957) set out our intention that those elements of the social fund, such as cold weather payments, which lend themselves to simple automated delivery will be incorporated into universal credit and be paid automatically when the qualifying criteria are met.

Cold Weather Payments

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether claimants of  (a) jobseeker's allowance and  (b) employment and support allowance who are eligible to receive cold weather payments will receive such payments if they begin their claim following the introduction of universal credit.

Steve Webb: The recent White Paper "Universal Credit: welfare that works" (Cm 7957) set out our intention that those elements of the social fund, such as cold weather payments, which lend themselves to simple automated delivery will be incorporated into universal credit and be paid automatically when the qualifying criteria are met.

Disability Living Allowance

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects on those who live in residential care homes of the implementation of his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance from such people; what representations he has received on his proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The effect of the measure is that people who live in state funded residential care homes will cease to be paid the mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) after 28 days. While these residents will not be paid DLA, they will retain an underlying entitlement to the benefit and it will be reinstated if they leave the care home providing they continue to satisfy the conditions of entitlement. The planned implementation date is October 2012. The change will not apply to residents who meet the full costs of the care home themselves; they will continue to be paid any care or mobility components of disability living allowance they are entitled to. The change will affect around 80,000 people.
	This is a highly complex area in terms of both funding streams and the different responsibilities of all the parties involved and there are a maze of legal duties, contractual obligations and service levels to take into account. Local authorities have a duty to carry out an assessment of need for community care services for individuals. Based on that assessment a decision is made as to which of those assessed needs should be met by specific services.
	We have received a number of representations in the form of parliamentary questions and correspondence since the measure was announced. The Equality Impact Assessment for removing the mobility component of disability living allowance from state-funded care home residents after 28 days will be published with the proposed legislation.

Disability Living Allowance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether the proposed removal of mobility allowance for disabled children after 84 days in residential care will apply to children in residential education settings;
	(2)  whether residential schools for disabled children will be classified as care homes for the purposes of the proposed changes to the mobility element of the disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: This will be informed by responses to the consultation document which was published on 6 December 2010.
	We will be making clearer as we move towards the Bill exactly how the measure to cease paying mobility component of DLA to people in care homes will affect particular groups.

Disability Living Allowance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in state-funded residential care used the Motability scheme in the latest period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to be affected by the implementation of his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: There are currently around 575,000 people on the Motability scheme and we estimate that around 12,000 of them will be affected by the measure to cease paying the mobility component of disability living allowance to people in residential care after 28 days. The Department is discussing the proposed measure with Motability to enable them to decide how best they can manage the impact of this change on their customers.
	We estimate that approximately 80,000 people who claim disability living allowance and live in residential care will be affected by the measure to cease paying the mobility component in Great Britain from October 2012.
	Local authority contracts with care homes will cover services to meet a resident's assessed needs. This will cover activities of daily living which may include providing access to doctors, dentists and local services such as libraries and banks. In addition, care homes are required where practicable to promote the independence, participation and community involvement of their residents.
	This is a highly complex area in terms of both funding streams and the different responsibilities of all the parties involved and there are a maze of legal duties, contractual obligations and service levels to take into account. For example, NHS- funded individuals in residential care do not receive the DLA mobility component, while those funded by local authorities do.
	People are also invited to put forward their views on this proposal as part of the wider DLA reform consultation document which was published on 6 December 2010. This can be found on the Department's website at
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2010/dla-reform.shtml.
	The consultation ends on 14 February 2011.

Disability Living Allowance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account he took of Article 20 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in formulating his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The Government take their obligations under the United Nations convention on the rights of disabled people into account as they develop policies and programmes. The report that Government will make to the United Nations next year will demonstrate how across Departments we have taken forward implementation in respect of article 20 and the convention as a whole.

Disability Living Allowance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which  (a) organisations and  (b) individuals he consulted on his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance; and what arrangements are in place for consultation on the implementation of his proposals.

Maria Miller: As part of the spending review all organisations are given the opportunity to contribute to the priorities of the spending review. All measures are subject to the parliamentary process, and we are committed to the involvement of charities, third sector organisations and other disability organisations in the ongoing development of policy in these areas.
	People are also invited to put forward their views on this proposal as part of the wider DLA reform consultation document which was published on 6 December 2010. This can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2010/dla-reform.shtml.
	The consultation ends on 14 February 2011.

Disability Living Allowance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consult users of Motability vehicles and their representatives on the implementation of his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: Motability users will be able to put forward their views on this proposal as part of the wider DLA reform consultation document which was published on 6 December 2010.
	We have already consulted with Motability who are considering how they will manage any impact this measure will have on individuals affected by it.

Disability Living Allowance

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average change in the amount of disability allowance received by people  (a) who pay for their own care,  (b) in residential care funded by the NHS and  (c) in residential care funded by a local authority as a result of the implementation of his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information is as follows.
	 (a) Disabled people who pay for all care home costs themselves will continue to be paid the care and mobility components of DLA they are entitled to.
	 (b) Patients in NHS funded hospitals or similar institutions, including NHS funded residents in residential care homes, already cease to be paid both the care and mobility components of disability living allowance after 28 days (84 days in the case of children aged under 16) on the principle of double provision.
	 (c) Care home residents who are funded by local authorities cease to be paid any care component of disability living allowance they may be entitled to after 28 days. Of those who currently receive the mobility component of DLA, those on the lower rate will no longer receive £18.95 and those on the higher rate will no longer receive £49.85 per week from October 2012.
	Local authority contracts with care homes will cover services to meet a resident's assessed needs. This will cover activities of daily living which may include providing access to doctors, dentists and local services such as libraries and banks. In addition, care homes are required where practicable to promote the independence, participation and community involvement of their residents.
	This is a highly complex area in terms of both funding streams and the different responsibilities of all the parties involved and there are a maze of legal duties, contractual obligations and service levels to take into account. For example, NHS- funded individuals in residential care do not receive the DLA mobility component, while those funded by local authorities do.
	Disabled people and their representatives can put forward their views on this proposal as part of the wider DLA reform consultation document, which was published on 6 December 2010.

Disability Living Allowance: Belfast

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in Belfast East constituency he expects to be affected by the removal of the mobility component of disability living allowance from those in residential care homes.

Maria Miller: This is the responsibility of Alex Attwood, Minister of Social Development in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Disability Living Allowance: Care Homes

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on disabled people of the removal of the mobility component of the disability living allowance for those living in residential care homes.

Maria Miller: The effect of the measure is that people who live in state funded residential care homes will cease to be paid the mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) after 28 days. While these residents will not be paid DLA, they will retain an underlying entitlement to the benefit and it will be reinstated if they leave the care home providing they continue to satisfy the conditions of entitlement. The planned implementation date is October 2012. The change will not apply to residents who meet the full costs of the care home themselves; they will continue to be paid any care or mobility components of disability living allowance they are entitled to. The change will affect around 80,000 people.
	This is a highly complex area in terms of both funding streams and the different responsibilities of all the parties involved and there are a maze of legal duties, contractual obligations and service levels to take into account. Local authorities have a duty to carry out an assessment of need for community care services for individuals. Based on that assessment a decision is made as to which of those assessed needs should be met by specific services.
	Care homes are required, where practicable, to promote the independence, participation and community involvement of their residents.
	Consideration was given to the equality impacts of the measure when the proposal was being developed.
	The equality impact assessment for removing the mobility component of disability living allowance from state funded care home residents after 28 days will be published with the proposed legislation.

Disability Living Allowance: Care Homes

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what legal advice his Department has sought from the Attorney-General on the compatibility of his Department's proposed removal of the mobility component of disability living allowance from long-stay residents of local authority-funded care homes or colleges from October 2012 with the Government's international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: By long-standing convention, observed by successive administrations and embodied in the Ministerial Code, the fact that the Law Officers have advised (or have not advised) on a particular issue, and the content of any advice, is not disclosed outside government.

Disability Living Allowance: Glasgow

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of disability living allowance and aged between 25 and 35 years are resident in Glasgow North constituency; and how many of these are in receipt of  (a) housing benefit and  (b) local housing allowance.

Maria Miller: The numbers of people in receipt of disability living allowance aged between 25 and 35 in Glasgow North constituency is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  DLA Claimants aged 25-35(inclusive) in Glasgow North parliamentary constituency, May 2010, aged 25-35 (inclusive) 
			   Number 
			 Glasgow North parliamentary constituency 400 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 4. Information is available on the number of housing benefit claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, such as income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-based employment support allowance and pension credit (guaranteed credit). Disability living allowance is not a housing benefit passported benefit, therefore the number of DLA claimants also receiving housing benefit is not available.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 
		
	
	The numbers of people in receipt of disability living allowance aged between 25 and 35 in Glasgow North constituency who are also in receipt of housing benefit and local housing allowance is not available.

Disability Living Allowance: Public Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of administering  (a) disability living allowance in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13 and  (b) his Department's proposed personal independence payment in (A) 2013-14 and (B) 2014-15.

Maria Miller: We are currently consulting how the personal independence payment will be assessed and administered and so cannot provide details for costs in 2011-12, 2013-14 or 2014-15 at this stage. However, in 2009-10 the cost of administering disability living allowance was £193 million.
	The Government will set out further detail at the earliest appropriate point.

Disability Living Allowance: Public Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of  (a) disability living allowance in 2010-11 and  (b) his Department's proposed personal independence payment in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Maria Miller: Benefit expenditure on disability living allowance is forecast to be £12.1 billion in 2010-11.
	Combined benefit expenditure for disability living allowance and personal independence payment is projected to be £12.7 billion in 2013-14 and £12.2 billion in 2014-15.
	All expenditure is in real terms and is available from the DWP benefit expenditure tables at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/alltables_budget2010.xls

Disability Living Allowance: Sunderland

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of disability living allowance aged between 25 and 35 years are resident in Sunderland Central constituency; and how many of these are also in receipt of  (a) housing benefit and  (b) local housing allowance.

Maria Miller: The numbers of people in receipt of disability living allowance aged between 25 and 35 in Sunderland Central constituency is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  DLA Claimants aged 25-35(inclusive) in Sunderland Central parliamentary constituency-May 2010 Aged 25-35 (inclusive) 
			 Sunderland Central parliamentary constituency 450 
			  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 
		
	
	The numbers of people in receipt of disability living allowance aged between 25 and 35 in Sunderland Central constituency who are also in receipt of housing benefit and local housing allowance is not available.
	 Notes:
	1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten;
	2. Figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.
	3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.
	4. Information is available on the number of housing benefit claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, such as income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-based employment support allowance and pension credit (guaranteed credit). Disability living allowance is not a housing benefit passported benefit, therefore the number of DLA claimants also receiving housing benefit is not available.

Employment and Support Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effect on levels of child poverty of the removal of contributory employment and support allowance after one year.

Maria Miller: The proposal to time-limit contributory employment and support allowance to one year for those in the Work Related Activity Group is estimated to have no significant impact on child poverty as measured by the equivalised poverty threshold of 60% of the median household income.
	 Notes:
	1. There is unavoidable uncertainty whenever estimating the effect of policy changes on poverty. Uncertainty arises because HBAI poverty statistics are based on survey data which only captures a sample of households from the population-this sampling introduces variability from year to year in statistics as the survey sample is redrawn and new people are interviewed.
	2. Uncertainty also arises because estimated policy effects are dependent on modelling assumptions which may be imperfect.
	3. Poverty statistics are routinely rounded to the nearest 100,000. This is a reflection of the degree of confidence we should have when examining and comparing these statistics across groups and over time.

Employment and Support Allowance

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants receive  (a) income-related and  (b) contributory ESA.

Maria Miller: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Employment and support allowance claimants by payment type as a percentage of all employment and support allowance claimants, as of May 2010 
			   All employment and support allowance claimants  Contribution based  Both income and contributions based  Income based  No payments - credits only 
			 Total 527,120 189,280 33,180 239,150 65,510 
			 Percentage of all claimants - 35.9 6.3 45.4 12.4 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 3. The type of Employment and Support Allowance is defined as pay status at the caseload date - this may differ to the status at the start or end of the claim, as changes in an individual's circumstances may affect their benefit entitlement. 4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. 5. Totals may not sum due to rounding.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100%

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support will be available for individuals who do not qualify for income-related employment and support allowance (ESA) after 12 months in the work-related activity group of contributory ESA; what entitlement to income-related ESA a person with a partner earning an income of £145 a week or more will have; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: A claimant who does not qualify for income-related employment and support allowance after they have received 12 months of contributory employment and support allowance in the Work Related Activity Group may be able to claim a number of benefits depending on their circumstances. Depending on their rental circumstances, they may be eligible for housing benefit and council tax benefit. If they are aged 60 or over, they may be eligible for pension credit. If they have a partner who is working 16 hours or more a week, they may be able to claim working tax credit. However, any benefit entitlement will depend on individual circumstances.
	A claimant will retain any entitlement to disability living allowance, provided they continue to meet the qualifying conditions.
	In the case of a person with a partner earning £145 or more a week, entitlement to income-related employment and support allowance is retained as long as the partner is not working for more than 24 hours a week on average, and does not have net earnings in excess of £148.69 a week. The customer and partner must also not be in possession of savings in excess of £16,000.
	This level ensures that the couple have a weekly income equal to the couples' rate of employment and support allowance of £102.75, the Work Relate Activity component of £25.95, and up to £20 a week in additional income from the partner's work income.
	A person in the Work Related Activity Group with a partner earning £145 a week would therefore be entitled to £3.70 a week in income-related employment and support allowance. Above the threshold of £148.69 a week, entitlement to income-related employment and support allowance would cease.

Housing Benefit

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months who are in receipt of housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	Neither the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit nor the duration of such claims is available. The relevant analysis has not been quality assured to National Statistics standard, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average monetary value of weekly housing benefit payments made to individuals who have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	Neither the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit nor the duration of such claims is available. The relevant analysis has not been quality assured to National Statistics standard, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
	We will publish an impact assessment for the proposal 10% reduction to HB in the normal way, accompanying the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament.

Housing Benefit

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what restrictions he plans to place on the disbursement of  (a) homelessness prevention funding and  (b) discretionary housing payments from funds allocated to local authorities since the June 2010 Budget.

Steve Webb: Discretionary housing payments are only available to people who are entitled to housing benefit or council tax benefit. They are primarily intended to make up shortfalls in entitlement to benefit where the local authority considers that the person concerned is in need of further help with their housing costs. Decisions on awards are made at the local authority's discretion within the framework contained in the Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations 2001. We do not intend to change these arrangements but we are trebling the funding we provide local authorities, to £60 million a year, from April 2012 and increasing their budgets by £10 million in 2011-12.
	Homelessness funding is made available to local authorities by the Department for Communities and Local Government, and is intended to tackle and prevent homelessness. The grant is un-ringfenced grant and it is for local authorities to determine how the funding is best used to meet the needs of their communities.

Housing Benefit: Homelessness

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has issued guidance to local authorities on ensuring that no person becomes homeless as a result of the planned changes in local housing allowance.

Steve Webb: We are providing an additional £130 million to local authority discretionary housing payment budgets over the spending review period to support households who need help with retaining an existing tenancy or finding alternative accommodation. We will be issuing further good practice guidance to local authorities early next year with suggestions as to how they might use the funding to best support those households affected by changes to local housing allowance rates.

Housing Benefit: Jobseeker's Allowance

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people who have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months also receive housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	Neither the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit nor the duration of such claims is available. This analysis has not been quality assured to National Statistics standard, and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
	We will publish an impact assessment for the proposal 10% reduction to HB in the normal way, accompanying the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament.

Housing Benefit: Mortgages

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the potential effects of the change in the rate used to calculate support for mortgage interest payments on the number of people entitled to passported benefits.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.

Incapacity Benefit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to support people in receipt of incapacity benefit after the existing New Deal for Disabled People contracts end, and before the start of the Work programme.

Maria Miller: From April 2011 more personalised support will be available through Jobcentre Plus as we introduce a new flexible offer. This support will be available to all customers in receipt of working age benefits and customers on incapacity benefit will be able to access it on a voluntary basis. This support will complement the Work programme, which will be introduced by summer 2011.
	Where appropriate, incapacity benefit customers will also be able to access Work Choice, launched on 25 October, which provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment.
	In addition, customers can also access programmes like Access to Work, Remploy and Residential Training for unemployed disabled adults whose needs cannot be met through any other Government-funded programmes.
	I announced in a written ministerial statement on 2 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 89-90WS, an independent review of the specialist disability employment support the Government provide to disabled people who want to work. This review will be conducted by Liz Sayce, chief executive of the disability organisation RADAR.

Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanisms will be in place to ensure that there are employment opportunities for people who  (a) cannot stand or walk for any length of time,  (b) are classified as capable of some work by the new medical assessment for incapacity benefit claimants and  (c) require other adjustments to working conditions to enable them to work.

Maria Miller: We are committed to ensuring that disabled people have the same employment opportunities and chances as everyone else to find and stay in work, regardless of their disability.
	As part of this commitment, the Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for a range of employment provision specifically aimed at disabled people.
	Work Choice - launched on 25 October, provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual. Work Choice is voluntary and available regardless of any benefits being claimed.
	Access to Work - provides practical advice and financial support to employed disabled people above and beyond what the employer could reasonably provide, to help them overcome obstacles resulting from disability and thus stay in work.
	In addition, Remploy is an executive non departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It delivers a range of employment and development opportunities for disabled people under the Work Choice programme.
	The Department for Work and Pensions also funds Residential Training for unemployed disabled adults whose needs cannot be met through any other Government funded programmes.
	On Thursday 2 December, I announced in a written ministerial statement an independent review of the support the Government provide to disabled people who want to work. This review will be conducted by Liz Sayce, Chief Executive of the disability organisation RADAR.

Independent Living Fund

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken on the performance and effectiveness of the Independent Living Fund since May 2010.

Maria Miller: The Independent Living Fund is a non-departmental public body managed by a board of trustees. The fund operates within the terms of a trust deed and conditions of grant agreement. The Department has agreed key performance targets with the Independent Living Fund and performance against these targets is monitored regularly. The Department has six monthly accountability meetings with the Independent Living Fund, the most recent was on 27 September 2010.

Independent Living Fund

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what disability organisations he has met to discuss the future of the Independent Living Fund since his appointment;
	(2)  on what dates he has met  (a) disability organisations,  (b) local government representatives and  (c) ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health to discuss the future of the Independent Living Fund since his appointment.

Maria Miller: I have met with a number of disability organisations and other bodies to discuss the future of the Independent Living Fund: the Chair of Equality 2025 on 8 June 2010; the all party parliamentary group on disability on 21 June 2010; and the Disability Charities Consortium and the Disabled People's Organisations Group on 28 July 2010. I have met with other disability organisations individually, including speaking with the National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) most recently on 13 October 2010, and will continue to do so as we consider the future on the Independent Living Fund in the context of the forthcoming spending review.
	I met with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health on 9th June, 27 July, 13 October and 15 November.
	I met the Trustees and management of the Independent Living Fund on 1 June 2010, 22 July 2010 and 15 September 2010.

Independent Living Fund

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding was allocated through the Independent Living Fund (ILF) to each local authority in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many service users received support through the ILF towards their case costs in each such authority.

Maria Miller: The Independent Living Fund does not allocate funding to local authorities. The Independent Living Fund is a discretionary trust which makes direct cash payments to severely disabled people to purchase personal care or help with domestic duties from a care agency or privately employed personal assistant.
	The available information on the number of Independent Living Fund users and the amount of money paid in each local authority area for the latest period available has been placed in the Library.

Inflation: Consumer Price Index

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Royal Statistical Society on the use of the consumer price index as a measure for inflation compensation; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the UK Statistics Authority on the use of the consumer price index as a measure for inflation compensation;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the use of the consumer price index as a measure for inflation compensation.

Steve Webb: The Government believes that CPI is the appropriate index for measuring changes in the cost of living. It may be helpful if I set out some of the consideration that were factors in our reasoning:
	1. The CPI is the headline measure of inflation in Great Britain, forming the target for the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee;
	2. The CPI excludes mortgage interest payments, which are not relevant to the majority of pensioners and benefit recipients;
	3. The methodology used the calculate the CPI takes into account the fact that many people tend to trade down to cheaper goods when prices rise which the RPI does not;
	4. In terms of population coverage the Retail Price Index (RPI) excludes a significant group of pensioners (pensioner households who receive 75% or more of their income from the State). The CPI includes those pensioners.
	The decision to switch to the CPI for price measurement for benefit and pension uprating, and provide the statutory minimum for occupational pension indexation, was taken by DWP Ministers with advice following discussions between DWP, HMT and other Departments, using appropriate evidence including that made available by the Office for National Statistics, over which the UK Statistics Authority has oversight. No discussions have taken place between the Department and the Royal Statistical Society on this matter.

Jobcentres: Sanctions

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether Jobcentre Plus has set any targets for the number of sanctions to be issued by each Jobcentre Plus officer;
	(2)  whether Jobcentre Plus has established any targets for the number of sanctions to be issued by each Jobcentre Plus office.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked Darra Singh to reply to your question asking whether Jobcentre Plus has set any targets for the number of sanctions to be issued by each Jobcentre Plus officer and whether Jobcentre Plus has established any targets for the number of sanctions to be issued by each Jobcentre Plus office. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently unavailable, I am replying in his absence.
	Jobcentre Plus is responsible for ensuring customers are compliant with the conditions of entitlement and remain eligible to receive Jobseeker's Allowance. To help ensure the associated sanctions regime is applied efficiently, effectively and consistently across Districts, Jobcentre Plus has established the following internal benchmarks:
	A minimum of 6% of the JSA live load is referred to Decision Makers to consider areas of doubt arising from entitlement and sanctions, and
	At least 50% of these referrals result in decisions adverse to the customer
	These are benchmarks and not targets. There is no 'right level' of referrals. The intention is that, if District performance is significantly different from this benchmark, either above or below, this is a signal to management to assure themselves that processes are being followed correctly, fairly and consistently.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants receive  (a) income-related and  (b) contributory JSA.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is in the following table. These data can be accessed via the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	
		
			  Number of people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, May 2010 
			Contributory jobseeker's allowance only  Income-based and contributory jobseeker's allowance  Income-based jobseeker's allowance only  No  payments-credits only 
			 Total 1,354,600 205,300 21,200 1,010,900 117,300 
			 Percentage of all claimants - 15.2 1.6 74.6 8.7 
			  Notes: 1. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% WPLS totals. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 4. Percentages are shown to one decimal place.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) Information Directorate, 5% samples.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of support for mortgage interest who claimed jobseeker's allowance after 5 January 2009 will lose their entitlement to support for mortgage interest if they are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in  (a) January 2011,  (b) February 2011,  (c) March 2011,  (d) April 2011,  (e) May 2011 and  (f) June 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The two year limit on payment of support for mortgage interest to income-based jobseeker's allowance claimants is underpinned by the principle of providing short-term help through the benefits system.
	When claimants who are subject to the two year limit are first awarded support for mortgage interest on their income-based Jobseeker's Allowance claims, they receive a decision notification. This letter gives the end date of their support for mortgage interest, which is the two year limit. In addition to this, the leaflet IS8, that is issued to claimants with mortgages when they claim benefit, contains a section that explains how the two year limit operates and who it applies to.
	Claimants who are subject to the two year limit will receive a letter eight weeks before the two year limit date, which advises them that their mortgage interest payments will be withdrawn.
	In line with commitments made when the measures were introduced on 5 January 2009, officials will complete an analytical evaluation of the two year limit in January 2011, which will include affected caseload. When complete, and subject to quality assurance tests, we will consider publication of this report in early 2011.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of working age have claimed jobseeker's allowance  (a) twice,  (b) three times,  (c) four times,  (d) five times and  (e) more than five times in a 12 month period in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many claimants of working age have claimed jobseeker's allowance (a) twice, (b) three times, (c) four times, (d) five times and (e) more than five times in a 12 month period in each of the last five years. (31770).
	Table 1 gives the information requested for the 12 month periods ending November from 2006 to 2010. These estimates have been derived using data from the Jobcentre Plus 5% cohort. This is a sample of the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance by number of claims in a 12 month period 
			   12 month period ending 
			 Number of claims  November 2006  November 2007  November 2008  November 2009  November 2010 
			 2 329,840 326,820 391,860 582,380 505,280 
			 3 74,620 84,500 106,860 141,700 127,940 
			 4 17,460 22,380 28,920 37,660 34,840 
			 5 4,600 6,800 8,080 11,780 10,960 
			 More than 5 2,060 2,660 4,440 6,220 5,380 
			  Source: Jobcentreplus 5% cohort

Multi-Occupancy Lets: Edinburgh

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of multi-occupancy lets of each tenure type in Edinburgh East constituency.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.

Pensions: Consumer Price Index

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish each policy paper which informed his decision to uprate pensions and benefits in line with the consumer price index rather than the retail price index.

Steve Webb: The decision to uprate pensions and benefits in line with the consumer prices index rather than the retail prices index was based on a range of factors including the fact that the CPI is the headline measure of inflation in Great Britain, and the coverage and methodology of each index. Policy advice to Ministers is not generally published.

Pensions: Consumer Price Index

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account he took of his obligation under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to reflect the general level of prices obtaining in Great Britain in deciding to uprate pensions and benefits in line with the consumer price index.

Steve Webb: The Secretary of State took full account of his obligation under Section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to reflect the general level of prices obtaining in Great Britain, considering several factors when coming to a decision that the consumer prices index was the most appropriate way of measuring that level of prices. These included the facts that the consumer prices index is the headline measure of inflation in Great Britain, and that it has a basket of goods and methodology relevant to benefit recipients.

Personal Independence Payment

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will see their incomes  (a) rise and  (b) fall on introduction of the proposed personal independence payment in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15.

Maria Miller: Support through the proposed personal independence payment will be focused on those with the most need. The detailed criteria that will be used in the new assessment to determine eligibility for the rates of the benefit are currently being developed and a consultation process is also under way. At this stage, it is therefore not possible to provide an assessment of the impact of the personal independence payment on existing disability living allowance, or future recipients.

Poverty: Children

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce child poverty in  (a) South Thanet constituency and  (b) England.

Maria Miller: The Government are committed to their goal of ending child poverty by 2020. We are committed to finding the right long-term solutions through prioritising opportunity, fairness and social mobility across our society.
	Under the duties of Part Two of the Child Poverty Act, Kent county council is required to co-operate with its named partners to tackle child poverty in its local area. The county council is required to prepare and publish needs assessments-detailing the child poverty-related issues specific to the area, and develop a joint child poverty strategy which sets out how it plans to address those issues.

Poverty: Children

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were assessed as living in poverty  (a) before and  (b) after housing costs in (i) Scotland and (ii) Glasgow East constituency in each year since 2000.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty in Scotland are published in 'Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09'. This uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland do not allow analysis by parliamentary constituency. However, figures for Scotland are set out the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage and number of children living in relative poverty before housing costs (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC) 
			  Relative poverty in Scottish households 
			  Period  BHC (%)  BHC (thousand)  AHC (%)  AHC (thousand) 
			 2000-01 27 280 32 340 
			 2001-02 27 280 31 330 
			 2002-03 25 260 27 280 
			 2003-04 24 250 27 280 
			 2004-05 21 210 25 250 
			 2005-06 21 210 24 250 
			 2006-07 21 210 25 250 
			 2007-08 20 200 24 240 
			 2008-09 21 210 26 260 
			  Notes 1. The source of this information is the 'Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09' publication. 2. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors. 4. Figures are based on survey data and as such are subject to a degree of sampling and non-sampling error. 5. Numbers of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 10,000 children. 6. The measures is defined as: Relative poverty: percentage of children living in households with less than 60% of contemporary median household income. 7. Income after housing costs (AHC) is derived by deducting a measure of housing costs from the before housing costs (BHC) measure of income. These include (1) rent (gross of housing benefit), (2) water rates, community water charges and council water charges, (3) mortgage interest payments, and (4) structural insurance premiums (for owner occupiers), ground rent and service charges.  Source: Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2008-09

Private Rented Housing: Edinburgh

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of private rented homes with  (a) one and  (b) two bedrooms with a rental in the bottom 30% of local market values in Edinburgh in the first six months of 2010.

Steve Webb: This information is not available.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of people who have moved off jobseeker's allowance onto  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) income support in each of the last three years.

Maria Miller: The information is not available.
	Although some information is available on NOMIS regarding destinations from jobseeker's allowance, the percentage of people leaving with an unknown destination recorded has increased over the last 10 years, and is now over 50%.
	As the collection of these data is voluntary, they do not have sufficient coverage to be reliable.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects on problem drug users in receipt of benefits of his proposed changes to the benefits system.

Maria Miller: Our aim is to increase the number of drug and alcohol dependent benefit claimants who successfully engage with treatment and rehabilitation services and ultimately find employment, which is a key contributor to a sustained recovery.
	Our welfare reforms will support this strategy by making sure that work always pays.
	As announced in the Drug Strategy, "Reducing Demand, Restricting Supply, Building Recovery: Supporting People to Live a Drug Free Life" which was published on 8 December 2010 (a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library) the Government will take a holistic approach to helping benefit claimants beat their drug and alcohol dependency, so they have every chance of competing in today's labour market.
	Benefit claimants who decide to go into treatment will be offered every support to help overcome their addiction. Those who refuse treatment will still be able to claim unemployment benefits but, if as a consequence they are unable to comply with the normal conditions for receipt of benefits, they will face the same sanctions as every other jobseeker.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that his proposals for medical examinations for claimants of disability benefits include provision for the examination to be undertaken by a Welsh speaker.

Chris Grayling: The Medical Services Contract currently states that Atos Healthcare shall comply with the provisions of the Welsh Language Act to provide a bi-lingual service for those claimants who are resident in Wales in respect of correspondence, telephone and face to face communications, published and printed materials. Moving forward, the Department will of course continue to meet our obligations to comply with the provisions of the Welsh Language Act as part of the implementation of our proposals in this area.

Unemployment Benefits

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of out-of-work benefits there were  (a) in Brighton and Hove and  (b) nationally in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008 and (v) 2009.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of claimants of out of work benefits, in Great Britain and abroad and Brighton and Hove local authority 
			JSA  Incapacity Benefits  IS/PC 
			 May 2005 Great Britain and Abroad 800,660 2,783,670 3,485,580 
			  Brighton and Hove 4,630 12,730 15,130 
			 May 2006 Great Britain and Abroad 895,880 2,729,880 3,508,140 
			  Brighton and Hove 4,920 12,660 15,170 
			 May 2007 Great Britain and Abroad 807,270 2,685,240 3,525,010 
			  Brighton and Hove 4,240 12,960 15,010 
			 May 2008 Great Britain and Abroad 787,870 2,637,560 3,488,190 
			  Brighton and Hove 4,160 13,010 14,730 
			 May 2009 Great Britain and Abroad 1,443,000 2,662,480 3,482,740 
			  Brighton and Hove 6,930 13,310 14,700 
			 May 2010 Great Britain and Abroad 1,354,620 2,653,810 3,453,130 
			  Brighton and Hove 6,220 13,750 14,370 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. The data has been analysed by Statistical Groups which are hierarchical. A person who fits into more than one category will only appear in the top-most one for which they are eligible. JSA - claimants of Jobseekers Allowance Incapacity Benefits - claimants of Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance/Employment and Support Allowance IS/PC - claimants of Income Support (and males age 60-64 claiming Pension Credit) that are not also claiming IB/SDA  Source: DWP Information Directorate: 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Welfare State: Reform

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish his Department's impact assessment of the likely effects of proposed reductions in benefit payments on communities with a high dependence on welfare.

Chris Grayling: We will be publishing assessments of the impact of the changes the Government are making to benefits when the Welfare Reform Bill is presented to Parliament in the new year.

Work Experience: Greater London

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to offer internships to young people in  (a) London and  (b) Maidstone and the Weald constituency.

Chris Grayling: A comprehensive employer engagement strategy is used to encourage employers to offer work experience/internships. This strategy includes dedicated employer account managers who encourage a wide range of employers to register their work experience/internship opportunities on dedicated websites.
	As of 13 October 2010 there are currently available 4,793 work experience opportunities. Over 900 of these opportunities cover the constituencies named. Since the programme started, we have successfully placed over 1,800 young people in a variety of opportunities across many occupations, industry sectors and employers-463 of these placements occurred in the constituencies named.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what dates he has visited the North East since his appointment; and for what purpose were such visits.

Nicholas Clegg: I visited the north-east in August to promote regional growth.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Young People

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces service personnel under the age of 18 years  (a) in training and  (b) at trained strength were discharged in 2009-10; and what the reasons were for discharge in each case.

Peter Luff: Information is not held in the format requested. However, the data on the numbers of personnel under the age of 18 who left the services in 2009-10, where available, are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Outflow reason  Trained  Untrained  Total 
			 Naval Service Total outflow 15 190 205 
			  Voluntary outflow (2)- 115 120 
			  Other 10 70 80 
			  Not known (1)- (2)- (2)- 
			  
			 Army Total outflow 25 1,150 1,180 
			  Voluntary outflow (2)- 590 595 
			  Other 25 550 575 
			  Not known (2)- 10 10 
			  
			 RAF Total outflow 105 (1)- 105 
			  Voluntary outflow (3)- (1)- (3)- 
			  Other (3)- (1)- (3)- 
			  Not known (3)- (1)- (3)- 
			 (1) Zero (2) A value less than five. (3) Not available  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. 
		
	
	While it is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to identify the reason for leaving in each case, the Recruit Trainee Survey, January 2009 to December 2009, suggests that by far the majority of recruits leaving do so through their own choice. Of those, the most common reasons for leaving were missing family and friends too much, not liking the lifestyle or because the service was not what they expected. A copy of this survey is available on the MOD website at the following link:
	http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1EF9A1F7-0C65-4053-820F-8BD386EBD6F1/0/rts_annual_report_2009.pdf
	A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

BAE Systems

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of BAE Systems were on secondment to his Department on 1 April 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not held centrally and will take some time to collate. I shall write to the hon. Member with a substantive answer as soon as one is available.
	 Substantive answer from Andrew Robathan to Douglas Carswell:
	In my written reply of 15 November 2010, I advised you that I would write to you with a substantive answer to your question on secondees from BAE Systems as soon as possible.
	Secondments, whether inward or outward, are full or part-time development activity, usually involving a private sector organisation or charity. They are normally used to develop individuals and can enable the business to introduce different perspectives and expertise. Inward secondments from the private sector or charities cannot exceed two years in duration.
	As at April 2010, there were 40 individuals on inward secondment to the MOD from various organisations in the public and private sector. Ten of these were employees of BAE Systems. In addition, two BAE Systems employees are engaged to provide external assistance with tasks in the Defence Intelligence Staff. Air Command has a number of BAE Systems employees conducting depth servicing at Marham, Cottesmore, and Kinloss. The numbers vary.
	Since May 2010, inward secondments from the private sector and charities have been banned as part of civil service-wide controls on external recruitment.
	I am sorry for the delay in providing this response.

Departmental Buildings

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much office space per employee his Department occupied in each year since 1997.

Gerald Howarth: Data on how much office space per employee the department occupied prior to 2007 is not held. Since April 2008, the Ministry of Defence in common with all other central Government Departments has participated in the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Property Benchmarking Service, which captures office space utilisation of occupied offices that have a net internal area over 500 metres . This information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 Number of buildings benchmarked 21 23 
			 Total occupied space (square metres) 259,796 272,683 
			 Space per member of full-time equivalent staff (square metres) 13.6 13.1 
		
	
	Data for 2009-10 is currently undergoing validation. I will write to my hon. Friend when this data is available.
	 Substantive answer from Andrew Robathan to Matthew Hancock:
	In my answer of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 162W, I undertook to write to you with data on office space per employee the Ministry of Defence occupied in 2009-10 when these figures had been validated.
	The data is now available and is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of buildings benchmarked  Total occupied space (m( 2) )  Space per member of full-time equivalent staff (m( 2) ) 
			 2009-10 22 278,601 13.6 
		
	
	The overall space efficiency (m(2)/FTE) now stands at 13.6m(2), an increase of 0.5m(2)/since last year and this has largely been the result of streamlining and staff relocations to other sites. Currently, 35% of the occupied space is less than 12m(2)/FTE with 52% of the offices have either remained the same or improved their m(2)/FTE balance from last year.

Fleet Air Arm

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) flying and  (b) non-flying personnel of the Fleet Air Arm he expects to be made redundant as a result of the ending of the Harrier capability; how many have served more than (i) 10, (ii) 12, (iii) 14 and (iv) 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, my hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan), gave on 16 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 897-98W. Work is ongoing between the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force to determine how best to meet the requirement to re-generate a Carrier Strike capability in 2020. Until this work is complete, the information requested will not be known.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many transport aircraft are being leased by his Department;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing transport aircraft of each type  (a) in total and  (b) per flight hour in each of the last six years.

Peter Luff: I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department plans to take to mark the 100th anniversary of fixed-wing flying in the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The hon. Member will be aware of the events held throughout 2009 to mark the centenary of the Admiralty's first order for an aircraft, acknowledged as the commencement of naval aviation. The Royal Navy plan to mark the 100th anniversary of fixed wing flying by an event in May 2011 at Eastchurch Airfield on the Isle of Sheppey, the location of the first Royal Navy fixed wing flight.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers of his Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

Peter Luff: No Minister in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has visited the north-east since their appointment to represent the MOD in an official capacity.

North Korea

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the military threat posed by North Korea to UK interests across the world.

Peter Luff: North Korea's artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010 raised tensions and threatened stability in North East Asia, a region of the world that is central to the UK's economic and trade interests. North Korea's ongoing nuclear weapon, ballistic missile and proliferation activities, which contravene UN and EU sanctions, pose significant risks to international security. Long-term stability on the Korean peninsula will be achieved only through the complete and verifiable denuclearisation of North Korea.

Rescue Services: Helicopters

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he expects to have with representatives of the Fire and Rescue Service as part of his Department's review of proposals for helicopter search and rescue under the private finance initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: UK Fire and Rescue Services are represented on both the UK Search and Rescue (SAR) Strategic Committee and the UK SAR Operators Group. The aim of both is to provide a management framework within which the responsible parties can work together to ensure the continued provision of an effective national SAR capability. Both the Strategic Committee and the Operators Group have been briefed on the review and will be updated on the outcome of the review in due course.

Sri Lanka

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when his forthcoming visit to Sri Lanka is to  (a) begin and  (b) end;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library and on his Department's website a copy of  (a) each speech made by him during and  (b) the itinerary of his proposed visit to Sri Lanka.

Liam Fox: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 993W.

Sri Lanka

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make representations to the Sri Lankan Government on the allegations of extra-judicial killings in Sri Lanka made in the course of recent television broadcasts during his proposed visit.

Liam Fox: I take every opportunity to raise concerns about human rights issues with the Government of Sri Lanka and will continue to do so.

Sri Lanka

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings have taken place between  (a) Ministers in his Department,  (b) officials in his Department and  (c) members of the armed forces and their counterparts in Sri Lanka since 11 May 2010.

Liam Fox: Ministry of Defence officials and members of the armed forces have had the following engagement:
	An Army Lieutenant Colonel responsible for UK accredited Defence Attaches and the Official overseeing Defence Relations policy provided an introductory brief for the incoming Sri Lankan Defence Adviser to the UK in November.
	The Commander Task Force Iraqi Maritime, a Royal Navy Commodore, provided Defence representation at the inauguration of the Sri Lankan President in November.
	The Commander Amphibious Task Group, a Royal Navy Commodore, represented the Royal Navy at the Sri Lankan Navy's 60th Anniversary celebrations in Colombo in December.
	I met with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister in June and October, and also when I saw the president in December, although the latter was in a private capacity.

Sri Lanka

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent under each budget heading  (a) on his proposed visit to Sri Lanka and  (b) the preparations for it.

Liam Fox: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 993W.

Sri Lanka

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who wrote the speech he plans to deliver during his visit to Sri Lanka commencing on 18 December 2010.

Liam Fox: I have postponed my private visit to Sri Lanka due to an extended scheduled official visit to the Gulf. I intend to carry out an official visit to Sri Lanka in the course of next year. At the time the visit was postponed, I had not yet prepared my speech.

Sri Lanka

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers were involved in (i) preparation of the itinerary and (ii) other arrangements for his visit to Sri Lanka commencing on 18 December 2010.

Liam Fox: No.

Sri Lanka

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many visits he has made to Sri Lanka in an official capacity since his appointment.

Liam Fox: I have not yet made a visit to Sri Lanka since taking up office, but intend to carry out an official visit in the course of next year.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff of his Department were assigned to work on the Strategic Defence and Security Review consultation process.

Peter Luff: holding answer 20 December 2010
	The Ministry of Defence had around 10 members of staff working on the strategic defence and security review consultation process: the team also drew on resources elsewhere in the Department as necessary.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what external contracts his Department commissioned as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review consultation process.

Peter Luff: holding answer 20 December 2010
	As part of the strategic defence and security review consultation process the Department contracted the Security and Defence Agenda to facilitate a discussion with EU and NATO allies. The cost of the contract was approximately £7,000.

Type 26 Frigate

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on developing the design of the Type 26 frigate; to what extent this will be  (a) flexible,  (b) modular and  (c) competitively-priced; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 November 2010,  Official Report, column 960W. We will continue to develop the design and ensure the solution delivers value for money.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the correspondence address is of each supplier of  (a) equipment,  (b) personnel,  (c) parts and  (d) assembly facilities for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles of each (i) type, (ii) range, (iii) capital and maintenance cost and (iv) lifespan in each (A) Government office region, (B) local authority area and (C) Parliamentary constituency.

Peter Luff: I will write to the hon. Member in due course.
	 Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Bridget Phillipson:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 6 December 2010 (Official Report, column 10W) about the range, costs and lifespan of each Unmanned Air System (UAS) type and the correspondence address of our suppliers, and your similar Parliamentary Questions on 14 December 2010 (Official Report, column 714W) about Vanguard and Astute submarines, the Long Range Rifle and the SA80A2 Individual Weapon. The information held by the Ministry of Defence is shown in the tables at Annexes A-D to this letter. A copy will also be placed in the Library of the House.
	I note that you have previously asked a number of defence procurement questions about specific equipment platforms, each time requesting the answers to be categorised by Government office region, local authority area and Parliamentary constituency. My concern is that collating this information is incredibly time consuming and expensive for the Department and sometimes, in the case of contracts with foreign companies, close to impossible. Of course I am anxious to help colleagues by being as open as possible and giving thorough answers to PQs, but I just wondered whether there was a wider defence procurement question that you would like us to address more holistically, rather than by this piecemeal and resource intensive approach. Please let me know if this might be the case. Perhaps you would like to come and see me in the New Year so we can discuss this in more details?

PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Manual

David Blunkett: To ask the Prime Minister what the status is of the draft Cabinet Manual published by the Cabinet Secretary; whether he plans the manual to be  (a) laid before and  (b) debated by the House; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement where I laid the draft manual before the House on 14 December 2010. The House of Commons can decide to debate the draft manual if it wishes.

Departmental Press: Subscriptions

Robert Halfon: To ask the Prime Minister how much the Prime Minister's Office spent on press cuttings services in each year since 1997.

David Cameron: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1058W.

European Financial Stability Mechanism

William Cash: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on holding a referendum in respect of  (a) extending the use of the European Financial Stability Mechanism to a member state other than the Republic of Ireland up to the expiry of the mechanism in 2013 and  (b) any similar proposals made by the EU whether or not they are permanent; and whether such proposals involve the agreement of a treaty between the member states.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1187, and to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich and North Essex (Mr Jenkin) on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1196.

Libya: Oil

Robert Halfon: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answers of 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 2W and 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 681W, on BP: Libya and oil rigs in Libya, when he expects the Cabinet Secretary to report on his findings.

David Cameron: I have nothing further add to the answers I gave on 6 September 2010,  Official Report, column 2W, and 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 681W.

Transfer of Questions

Ian Austin: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2010,  Official Report, column 448W, on transfer of questions, for what reason question 28072, on discussions between the Prime Minister and Mayor of London, directly pursuant to the Prime Minister's response to the hon. Member for Bosworth on 24 November 2010,  Official Report, column 257, was transferred for answer by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

David Cameron: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 13 December 2010,  Official Report, column 448W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to tackle antisocial behaviour among young people in Hendon constituency; and what progress she has made on providing tools to the police to deal with antisocial behaviour.

James Brokenshire: Antisocial behaviour is unacceptable, whether it is committed by adults or young people. The response must be local, with the professionals and communities working together to tackle it. The Home Secretary has been clear that dealing with the problem should be core business for the police and other local agencies.
	The Government will ensure the right tools and powers are available to crack down fast on perpetrators, and our plans to make police more accountable through elected police and crime commissioners will put communities at the heart of the solution.
	The Home Office has been reviewing the tools and powers available to tackle antisocial behaviour, and we will be consulting on proposals from January to April 2011.

Asylum

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for reunification with a minor, spouse or partner in the UK were accepted from applicants who had been granted or had applied for asylum in another EU member state in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many such applications were made by people resident in each region in each such year.

Damian Green: We are unable to identify from central records people who have been issued with family reunion visas who had themselves been granted or applied for asylum in an EU State or any other third country. We could only produce the information requested by checking individual records at disproportionate cost.

Asylum

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many asylum seekers were resident in each  (a) region and  (b) local authority area in each of the last three years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many asylum seekers whose claims for asylum had been rejected were resident in each  (a) region and  (b) local authority area in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not maintain data on the numbers of asylum applicants living in any given area at any given time. To obtain such information for previous years would involve considerable work going back through the case working database, at disproportionate cost. We have provided figures for the numbers of asylum applicants living in each region and local authority area as of 17 December 2010.
	A breakdown of the number of asylum applicants living in, and those whose claims have been rejected in,  (a) each region and  (b) each local authority has been placed on the Library of the House.
	The asylum claims included are those made since 2006 and managed within regions, under the new asylum model (NAM).

Blue Blindfold Campaign

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will  (a) commission and  (b) publish the conclusions of an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of (i) the Blue Blindfold campaign and (ii) other prevention activities funded by her Department.

Damian Green: There are no plans to commission an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Blue Blindfold campaign.

Borders: Personal Records

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on the compatibility with EU law of the implementation of the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The European Commission wrote to the UK on 17 December 2009 giving its opinion on the complaint raised by the British Chamber of Shipping and their French counterparts regarding e-Borders compatibility with EU law on free movement and data protection.
	In respect of data protection, the European Commission agreed that it is legal for carriers to collect advance passenger information (API) on EU routes and for this to be transmitted to the UK, subject to the approval of each member state's data protection authority. Officials continue to work closely with individual member state data protection authorities to secure acknowledgement that law enforcement and the fight against terrorism, smuggling and other offences constitute a public and legitimate interest for the purposes of the data protection directive, so that API data can be transmitted.
	In respect of free movement, UK and Commission officials have, since the December 2009 letter, been working together to reach a mutual understanding of how e-Borders operates in a way that strengthens the security of the UK and the EU more broadly but does not have an impact on free movement. We believe that those discussions with the Commission are close to being concluded, and once a final position has been reached we will fully explore any implications with the industry.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to seek compensation from Raytheon Systems Ltd following the termination of its contract for the delivery of the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The Home Office is pursuing its remedies under the contract and the matter is now subject to a confidential arbitration under the jurisdiction of the London Court of International Arbitration.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely role of the UK Border Agency in project integration for the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The e-Borders programme is within the UK Border Agency's remit and it will have overall responsibility for programme integration issues. These are managed through established governance arrangements within the Agency.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she plans to seek a single supplier or more than one supplier of services for the e-Borders programme;
	(2)  by what date she expects new contracts for the delivery of the e-Borders programme to be in place with suppliers;
	(3)  what procurement process her Department plans to follow to secure new suppliers for the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: Since the e-Borders contract with Raytheon Systems was terminated, the e-Borders programme has been pursuing a strategy to procure services to replace those due under the original contract. We continue to engage with a number of alternative providers to deliver the key benefits that the contract with Raytheon was unable to deliver. No new contracts have yet been agreed. The Programme remains on course to meet the Home Office Business plan target to agree a contract with new suppliers and transition existing services from Raytheon Systems Ltd by April 2011.
	The Department will procure through existing and accessible contract vehicles where demonstrable value for money can be achieved.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to finalise the budget for the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The budget for the e-Borders programme has now been decided following the spending review. For commercial reasons, we are unable to disclose this figure.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which e-Borders contracts have been novated from Raytheon Systems to her Department and its agencies.

Damian Green: The contract with IBM for the Semaphore system was novated to UKBA on 25 November 2010.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role an authority to carry function will have in the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: The Government are committed to making changes to pre-flight checks to identify people who pose a potential terrorist threat and prevent those who pose a severe terrorist threat from flying into and out of the UK. e-Borders will provide the capability to deliver an automated authority to carry function in due course.

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential for the use of off-the-shelf technologies in the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: Since the e-Borders contract with Raytheon Systems was terminated on 22 July 2010, the e-Borders programme has been pursuing a strategy to procure services to replace those due under the original contract. We are engaging with alternative providers to deliver the key benefits that the contract with Raytheon was unable to deliver.
	As requirements have been discussed with suppliers, we have reviewed their proposals for how they propose to deliver the programme, and this includes off-the-shelf technologies as appropriate.

Cybercrime

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the level of internet  (a) crime and  (b) fraud in the UK; what steps (i) her Department and (ii) agencies for which she is responsible are taking to reduce such levels; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The National Security Strategy published in October 2010 clearly stated that cyber threats, including cyber crime, are one of the top four threats facing the UK. In response, the strategic defence and security review allocated £650 million to help protect the UK's interests in cyber space through a national cyber security programme.
	As part of this, the Government will deliver an effective response to cyber crime through a national Cyber Crime Strategy. This will set out how we believe the UK can tackle cyber crime. We intend to publish this in early 2011.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports she has received from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on the estimated  (a) cost of damage caused and  (b) number of criminal offences committed in the course of the demonstration in London on 9 December 2010; how many arrests were made; how many people were stopped and searched in connection with the demonstration; what the cost to the MPS was of policing the demonstration; what the policy of the MPS is on recovering policing costs from organisers of demonstrations; what the cost of providing facilities to the demonstrators was; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) gave to the House on 13 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 665-66, on public disorder at the protest against tuition fees on 9 December 2010. As at 21 December 2010, 52 people have been arrested by the Metropolitan police for offences including public order and criminal damage. The Home Office does not hold information on the number of criminal offences committed, number of stop and searches, the cost of the damage caused, policing costs or the cost of providing facilities to demonstrators.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent discussions she  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have with the Metropolitan police service on the use of (i) water cannon, (ii) plastic bullets and (iii) CS gas at demonstrations; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many  (a) water cannon,  (b) plastic bullets and  (c) units of CS gas are held by her Department and its agencies; whether she has plans for future procurement of such items; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has regular discussions with the Metropolitan police service on a range of policing issues including the use of equipment in public order scenarios. I refer the hon. Member to the statement the Secretary of State for the Home Department gave to the House on 13 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 665-69 .
	Water cannon is not approved for police use in England and Wales. The Home Office and its agencies do not hold any water cannon for operational use in England and Wales.
	The Home Office and its agencies do not hold any plastic bullets, nor are these approved for police use in England and Wales. The use of attenuating energy projectile (AEP) rounds and CS spray are approved for use by the police service in England and Wales in accordance with the Association of Chief Police Officers guidance. The Home Office does not centrally hold any information on the number of AEP rounds and CS spray held by police forces. We have no plans to procure such equipment.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the clean-up operation following the disturbances in central London on 9 December 2010;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of policing the demonstrations in central London on 9 December 2010.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the demonstration in Parliament square on 9 December 2010; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the cost of police officer overtime incurred in policing the demonstration in Parliament square on 9 December 2010; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will commission a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis on the number of police officers of each  (a) rank and  (b) police force who were (i) injured and (ii) seriously injured while policing the demonstration in Parliament square on 9 December 2010; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  if she will commission a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis on the policing of the demonstration in Parliament square on 9 December 2010; how many  (a) men and  (b) women in each age group were arrested; on what grounds each was arrested; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what representations she has received from the organisers of the demonstration in Parliament square on 9 December 2010 since 10 December; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not hold information on the costs of the demonstration or costs of police overtime. The commissioner has informed the Home Secretary that at least 30 officers were injured and that six of those required hospital treatment all of whom have now been discharged. The Home Office does not hold information on the rank of officers who were injured and does not plan to commission a report.
	The Metropolitan police provided information to the Home Office that 52 people had been arrested as of 21 December. There are no plans to commission reports from the commissioner of police for the Metropolis on the gender of those arrested.
	The Home Secretary received a letter on 14 December from the University and College Union requesting a public inquiry into police actions at recent demonstrations.

Demonstrations: City of Westminster

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she  (a) is taking and  (b) plans to take to protect buildings leased by her Department from damage during demonstrations; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has plans to respond to a range of situations and threats to the physical security of our buildings. These are reviewed and updated as necessary following assessments of the threats we face and from experience gained from demonstrations that have affected government and other public buildings. Our planning is carried out in consultation with the police.

Demonstrations: Riot Control Weapons

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the use of water cannon in policing demonstrations in London.

Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the statement the Secretary of State for the Home Department gave to the House on 13 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 668-69. Water cannon is not approved for police use in England and Wales.

Demonstrations: Whitehall

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on requiring reports from police forces on incidents of public disorder; and whether she has requested a report from the Metropolitan police on the policing of the demonstration in Whitehall on 9 December 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 20 December 2010
	The Home Office requests information on public disorder in order to respond to public and parliamentary interest and to support the development of Government policy. We received a short report from the Metropolitan police about the policing of the demonstration on 9 December.

Departmental Press Releases

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions her Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings her Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions her Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

James Brokenshire: Nine formal media briefings have been held in the Home Office since 26 May 2010. Of these only two were embargoed and in neither case was the embargo breached.
	On one occasion on 28 June, in an attempt by the Home Secretary to assist the House by changing from making a written ministerial statement to making an oral statement, the copy of the statement that would have been made in writing to the House was handed out to the press before the oral statement was made.
	Briefings would never normally be held in advance of an oral statement without an embargo.

Departmental Utilities

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the  (a) electricity and  (b) gas supplied to her Department's offices at Lunar house, Croydon, in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many members of staff are based at those offices.

Nick Herbert: From available records the following table displays payments made on electricity and gas for Lunar house since November 2009.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Gas  Electricity 
			 November 2009 313.77 52,781.97 
			 December 2009 280.13 49,397.30 
			 January 2010 313.12 42,686.74 
			 February 2010 296.06 39,793.14 
			 March 2010 297.73 43,510.65 
			 April 2010 236.59 42,791.77 
			 May 2010 262.30 49,890.99 
			 June 2010 244.15 51,589.18 
			 July 2010 256.91 57,194.49 
			 August 2010 264.95 52,511.62 
			 September 2010 254.22 48,224.71 
			 October 2010 303.32 44,513.44 
			 Total 3,323.25 574,886.00 
		
	
	The number of staff based at Lunar house is around 2,200.

Deportation

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information about families the UK Border Agency considers before a decision is made on  (a) removal and  (b) participation in family return pilots.

Damian Green: All applicants, including families, whose application has been fully considered and all avenues of appeal have been exhausted will be considered for removal by the UK Border Agency. Chapter 45 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance provides comprehensive guidance to staff on how family units who include dependant children (aged under 18), who are liable to be removed, should be progressed through to removal. Chapter 45 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance can be found at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/enforcement/oemsectione/
	Family removals, and especially those involving children, are a particularly sensitive area of work. Family dynamics will vary from one family group to the next, and guidance and training is provided to UKBA staff to ensure that properly informed consideration can be made on how best to plan to meet any specific needs during each stage of any enforcement action leading to removal.
	I made a statement to the House on 16( )December 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-26WS, which announced the Government's plans to end the detention of children for immigration purposes, outlining the new family process and how this is being piloted. An interim assessment of the pilots has been carried out and we expect to publish this in the new year.

Deportation

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pilot schemes for alternative methods of removing families undertaken by the UK Border Agency are based in  (a) the North West,  (b) London and  (c) other parts of the UK.

Damian Green: On 1 June 2010 the UK Border Agency began a review into ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. Over the past few months, the UK Border Agency have been working closely with partners and testing out new approaches with our pilots in the North West and London to find a new way of working with families and to build confidence in the system. The review report was published on 16 December 2010. A further pilot is running in Glasgow, in conjunction with Glasgow city council. This was launched in June 2009.

Domestic Violence: Finance

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's announcement of 24 November 2010 on funding for specialist services to tackle violence against women and girls, under what budget headings the £28 million funding will be allocated in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government have allocated £28 million to provide stable funding to support specialist services to tackle violence against women and girls over the comprehensive spending review period.
	The budget headings the money will be allocated under are: interpersonal violence (IPV) local funding, independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA) services, domestic violence (DV) third sector funding and the forced marriage unit.
	The Government will also continue central funding for the quality assurance of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) and training places for Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service (IDVAS) and MARAC co-ordinators to ensure there is a consistent delivery of service nationally.

Domestic Violence: Teachers

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on training teachers to  (a) teach on issues relating to and  (b) identify young people who may be affected by domestic violence.

Lynne Featherstone: Ministerial discussions on issues relating to domestic violence normally take place at the Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women and Girls which is attended by both Home Office and Education Ministers (as well as others). A meeting with the Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), will be planned for the new year to discuss how to pursue the teaching of consent and healthy relationships in schools.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of foreign students entering the UK under the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and General Student Visa system have overstayed; and what proportion of such students were sponsored by  (a) English language centres and  (b) universities.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is not able to provide the information requested. The e-Borders system enables checks to be made on individuals arriving or exiting the country at a majority of the points of entry to the UK but is not yet fully rolled out.
	The Government are committed to ensuring that the number of UK ports undertaking exit checks is increased to ensure a complete travel history record on all passengers.
	While in the UK the licensed sponsor is required to monitor the student's attendance and progress and must report any issues of non-compliance to the UK Border Agency. These reports are monitored by the UK Border Agency and action taken against both the student and sponsor, where appropriate.
	The Government are currently reviewing the student immigration system and a public consultation opened on 7 December.

Firearms

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding she has allocated to programmes designed to tackle  (a) illegal firearms,  (b) narcotics and  (c) human trafficking in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 October 2010
	Direct Home Office funding for specific programmes to tackle drug use is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Drug Interventions Programme(1) 177 152 153 149 142 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse(2) 18.5 14.9 - - - 
			 FRANK(3) 5.06 2.32 2.67 1.74 - 
			 Drug Strategy Delivery(4) 0.705 1.04 1.1 1.23 1.28 
			 Pompidou Group(5) 0.158 0.178 0.194 0.2 - 
			 Overseas drug-related assistance(6) 5 3 - - - 
			 Positive Futures programme(7) 5.8 6 6 5.96 6 
			 YOT named drug worker(8) 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 
			 (1) Funding for delivery of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP), includes grants to local areas, grants and costs for drug testing and for the programme's information systems. (2) Grant funding to local areas to deliver substance misuse services for young people. From 2008-09 this funding went into a wider unringfenced grant now known as the Area Based Grant. (3) FRANK provides free and confidential help, information and advice about any aspect of drugs. It is delivered 24 hours a day all year round via a helpline or via the following link: www.talktofrank.com The 'FRANK' campaign operates in England and primarily targets young people aged 11 to 18-years-old; parents are also an important audience. FRANK is jointly funded by Home Office, Department of Health and Department for Education. Figures refer to the Home Office contribution only and include costs for marketing campaigns and materials for stakeholders working directly with young people. Due to the cross-Government freeze on marketing and advertising, there has been no expenditure in 2010-11. (4) Grant funding for a range of projects which supported delivery of the Drug Strategy in terms of developing innovation and best practice. (5) Funding of the UK's membership subscription between 2006-07 to 2009-10 to the Council of Europe Pompidou Group, which is a forum for exchanging views and information on good practice and studies relating broadly to drugs-related demand reduction and its associated harm. (6) Contribution to the Government's counter-narcotic work in Afghanistan. (7) Positive Futures programme provides grants to local prevention projects that target vulnerable and at risk 10 to 19-year-olds aiming to stop them from becoming drawn into crime and substance misuse and supporting them in moving forward with their lives. (8) Funding to provide a named drugs worker in every Youth Offending Team in England and Wales.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's Update to the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, October 2009, what progress has been made in respect of each of the eight action points on prevention.

Damian Green: Since publication of the UK Action Plan update in October 2009, the UK:
	has produced an up to date estimate of the scale of trafficking for sexual exploitation in the off-street market in England and Wales;
	is developing intelligence-led work overseas in countries and regions which pose the greatest threat, through the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the UK Human Trafficking Centre;
	continues to play an active role in helping improve wider EU efforts at combating human trafficking and works constructively with its European partners on issues of mutual interest. Activity has included helping to ensure human trafficking is a key area under the Stockholm Programme which sets out the EU's Justice and Home Affairs priorities for 2010 to 2014 and contributing to plans to strengthen the EU's response to trafficking from outside the EU;
	worked with a range of countries to support anti-trafficking projects that address vulnerabilities to trafficking; and
	has designated 18 October as Anti Slavery Day in England and Wales to provide a focal point for the awareness-raising work of the voluntary sector.

Human Trafficking

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet representatives of Anti-Slavery International for the purpose of informing her policy on  (a) human trafficking globally and  (b) the new European Directive on Human Trafficking.

Damian Green: The voluntary sector plays a key role in the identification of, and provision of support to, victims of human trafficking. We are strongly supportive of this role and will continue to work in partnership with voluntary organisations to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.
	Home Office officials will shortly be contacting non-governmental organisations to discuss development of the forthcoming strategy on human trafficking.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on co-ordination of efforts to  (a) raise public awareness of and  (b) prevent human trafficking.

Damian Green: The Government recognise the importance of international collaboration in raising awareness of and preventing human trafficking.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and I held a meeting with the UNHCR High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres, at which human trafficking was discussed. I also recently met the Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, Dr Jamaher Anwary, to discuss the issue of trafficking.
	The Government have focused their international efforts through the European Union and other regional organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe.

Human Trafficking

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet representatives of STOP UK to discuss the content of her proposed new policy on addressing human trafficking before she concludes it.

Damian Green: The voluntary sector plays a key role in the identification of, and provision of support to, victims of human trafficking. We are strongly supportive of this role and will continue to work in partnership with voluntary organisations to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.
	Home Office officials will shortly be contacting non-governmental organisations to discuss development of the forthcoming strategy on human trafficking.

Human Trafficking: Children

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the child trafficking cases referred under the National Referral Mechanism since its establishment  (a) were referred to the police for further investigation with regard to human trafficking and  (b) led to prosecutions by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Damian Green: The purpose of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is to allow agencies involved in victim support and identification to share information to identify, assess and support victims of trafficking. Separate arrangements exist for sharing information with the police.
	It is not therefore possible to state how many child trafficking cases referred under the NRM, were forwarded to the police and led to prosecutions by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Human Trafficking: Children

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to introduce an operation to tackle the trafficking of children following the end of Operation Golf in December 2010.

Damian Green: The Government are committed to publishing a new human trafficking strategy early next year which will set out how improvements can be made in tackling human trafficking through greater upstream enforcement, multi-agency action at the border and greater co-ordination of our policing effort within the UK.
	There are currently no plans to introduce an operation specifically aimed at tackling child trafficking after the end of Operation Golf in December of this year. Tackling human trafficking is however a core part of policing business.

Illegal Immigrants

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the average period between the date of  (a) entry and  (b) deportation of those deported following illegal entry to the UK in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: We have assumed 'deportation' to mean the removal of an individual who has been served with enforcement papers.
	The UK Border Agency (UKBA) do not capture the period between the date of entry and date of removal for illegal entrants because it is not possible to accurately determine when someone illegally entered the UK.

Illegal Immigrants

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on  (a) legal costs in connection with illegal immigrants and  (b) housing and maintenance for those who entered the UK illegally prior to deportation in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: We are unable to provide figures for these costs since the Department does not collate data in the way requested and such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Illegral Immigrants: Fines

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of civil penalties issued for carrying stowaways to  (a) UK-registered haulage firms and  (b) drivers employed by UK-registered haulage firms have been collected since 2000;
	(2)  what proportion of civil penalties issued for carrying stowaways to  (a) non-UK-registered haulage firms and  (b) drivers employed by non-UK-registered haulage firms have been collected since 2000.

Damian Green: holding answer 13 December 2010
	The database for recording the haulier civil penalty cases started on 8 December 2002. From 8 December 2002 to 17 December 2010 the proportion of civil penalties issued for carrying clandestines has been;
	(a) haulage firm 80%
	(b) drivers employed by haulage firms 20%
	We are unable to distinguish between the UK registered haulage firms and non-UK registered haulage firms or driver. The proportion of penalties collected from drivers and haulage firms between 8 December 2002 to 17 December 2010 is 72%.

Immigration Controls

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will assess the merits of restricting the number of visas which provide a route to settlement.

Damian Green: holding answer 20 December 2010
	It is the Government's aim to reduce levels of net migration. We have announced that we will take action across all routes to achieve this.
	The primary economic categories leading to settlement are skilled and highly-skilled migrants. We have already taken steps to limit the number of these migrants entering the UK from April next year.
	Furthermore we have announced that we will end the link between temporary and permanent migration and as a first step we will introduce some new criteria for those who apply for settlement from April 2011.
	I intend to consider what further reforms are appropriate on all migration routes which currently confer a right to apply for settlement, and will make further announcements in due course.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to respond to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 9 November 2010 with regard to Ms N Ahmed.

Nick Herbert: I apologise for the delay in replying. The Minister of State for Security and Counter-Terrorism, my noble Friend, Baroness Neville-Jones, replied on 17 December 2010. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers of her Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

James Brokenshire: I visited Rothbury and Northumbria police headquarters on 19 July 2010 in response to the Raoul Moat shootings.

Olympic Games 2012: Kent Constabulary

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to provide additional funding to Kent police for its responsibilities for the London 2012 Olympics.

Nick Herbert: As no 2012 Olympic or Paralympic events are scheduled to take place in Kent, there are no plans to provide additional funding for Kent police.

Police: Expenditure

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police force expenditure was spent on  (a) police officer,  (b) police community support officer and  (c) other staffing costs in the latest period for which figures are available.

Theresa May: holding answer 20 December 2010
	The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Gross revenue expenditure in 2009-10 (£ million)  Percentage  of total 
			 Police officer pay bill 7,880 56.06 
			 Police community support officer pay bill 515 3.66 
			 Other staffing costs (including pay bill of police staff) 2,934 20.87 
			 Total 14,057 - 
			  Source: Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy: http://www.tisonline.net/ 2009/10 actuals.

Police: Manpower

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers,  (b) police community support officers and  (c) other staff are employed by each specialist national police unit.

Theresa May: holding answer 23 November 2010
	'Specialist national police unit' is not a term used by the Home Office.

Police: Sick Leave

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of  (a) police community support officers and  (b) police officers in (i) the Metropolitan police service and (ii) Cambridgeshire constabulary took sick leave in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 December 2010
	 Figures are not collected centrally in the form requested. Instead, the following table contains sickness data on the number and proportion of police officers and police community support officers who took sick leave at the end of each financial year ie 31 March. It also shows the total amount of sick leave taken in each financial year by police officers in the Metropolitan police service and Cambridgeshire constabulary. The total amount of sick leave taken by police community support officers is not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of police officers and police community support officers who took sick leave in the Metropolitan Police Service and Cambridgeshire constabulary in each of the last three years( 1, 2, 4, 6, 7) 
			   Metropolitan Police Service 
			   Police officers  Police community support officers 
			   Total number of police officers( 3)  Number on sick leave( 8)  Proportion( 5)  (percentage)  Sick leave (hours) in 12 months to 31 March  Total number of police community support officers( 3)  Number on sick leave( 8) Proportion(5) (percentage) 
			 31 Mach 2008 31,460 1,917 6.1 1,757,619 4,247 307 7.2 
			 31 March 2009 32,610 1,836 5.6 1,727,755 4,594 302 6.6 
			 31 March 2010 33,367 1,398 4.2 1,767,339 4,645 263 5.7 
		
	
	
		
			   Cambridgeshire constabulary 
			   Police officers  Police community support officers 
			   Total number of police officers( 3)  Number on sick leave( 8)  Proportion( 5)  (percentage)  Sick leave (hours) in 12 months to 31 March  Total number of police community support officers( 3)  Number on sick leave( 8)  Proportion( 5)  (percentage) 
			 31 March 2008 1,379 83 6.0 113,233 197 0 0.0 
			 31 March 2009 1,450 83 5.7 116,197 195 9 4.4 
			 31 March 2010 1,471 71 4.8 95,316 209 12 5.7 
			 (1) Sick absence includes those that have certified and uncertified sickness. (2) These tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (3) As at 31 March 2008 to 2010. These figures may be seasonal, and so the total on sick leave on 31 March may not be representative of the whole year. (4) These data are provisional. They have not undergone usual quality assurance practices (including validation with individual police forces), and are therefore supplied for information purposes only. (5) Proportion is calculated by the total number of sick leave (at the end of period) divided by the total number of staff in post. (6) Source-Home Office using data received from police forces via the Annual Data Requirement. (7) Figures for 2009-10 affected by changes in sickness certification guidance: sickness absences of more than 28 days should not be uncertified. The fall in sick leave (at the end of period) have been confirmed by the forces. (8) Sick leave (at the end of period) includes short, medium and long term sick leave.

Public Houses: Closure

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public houses closed in the city of Brighton and Hove in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2009.

James Brokenshire: The number of licences that were surrendered, lapsed, revoked, forfeited, suspended or withdrawn within Brighton and Hove can be found within the attached table.
	The full tables are available from the DCMS website by using the following link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/4865.asp
	
		
			  N umber of licences surrendered, lap s ed, revoked, forfeited, suspended or withdrawn for Brighton and Hove 
			   Premises licences  Club premises certificates 
			  1 April to 31 March each year  Surrendered  Lapsed  Suspended  Surrendered  Lapsed  Withdrawn 
			 2006-07 0 0 3 0 0 1 
			 2007-08 13 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2008-09 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2009-10 13 0 0 2 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			   Personal licences 
			  1 April to 31 March each year  Surrendered  Revoked  Forfeited  Suspended 
			 2006-07 0 0 0 0 
			 2007-08 0 0 3 0 
			 2008-09 0 0 0 0 
			 2009-10 0 0 2 0

Public Order Offences

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) arrested and  (b) charged under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2002, (iv) 2003, (v) 2004, (vi) 2005, (viii) 2006, (ix) 2007, (x) 2008, (xi) 2009 and (xii) 2010.

James Brokenshire: The information requested on arrests is not available centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. From these centrally reported categories it is not possible to separately identify offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.
	Data provided by Ministry of Justice on the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, England and Wales, from 2000 to 2009 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table. Information on the number of people charged is not available centrally.
	The data held by the Ministry of Justice contain information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. No information about the circumstances of each case is held other than that specified in a statute. It is therefore not possible to separately identify those cases in which insulting words or behaviour were used from offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates for offences under the Public Order Act 1986 section 5, England and Wales 2000 - 09( 1,2,3) 
			   Offence description  Statue  Year  Proceeded against 
			  Total proceedings under Public Order Act 1986, section 5  2000 25,109 
			2001 24,384 
			2002 24,677 
			2003 26,698 
			2004 26,824 
			2005 26,835 
			2006 29,211 
			2007 30,933 
			2008 28,179 
			2009 26,480 
			   Of which
			 125/12 Harassment, alarm or distress Public Order Act 1986, section 5 2000 24,337 
			2001 23,203 
			2002 23,502 
			2003 25,225 
			2004 25,007 
			2005 24,684 
			2006 26,406 
			2007 27,684 
			2008 24,871 
			2009 22,767 
			  
			 125/58 Racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress Public Order Act 1986, section 5 as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998, section 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2000 772 
			2001 1,181 
			2002 1,165 
			2003 1,376 
			2004 1,646 
			2005 1,903 
			2006 2,409 
			2007 2,811 
			2008 2,827 
			2009 3,152 
			  
			 125/61 Religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress Public Order Act 1986, section 5 as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998, section 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2000 - 
			2001 - 
			2002 3 
			2003 12 
			2004 16 
			2005 20 
			2006 36 
			2007 38 
			2008 44 
			2009 50 
			  
			 125/63 Racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress Public Order Act 1986, section 5 as amended by Crime and Disorder Act 1998, section 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2000 __ 
			2001 - 
			2002 7 
			2003 85 
			2004 155 
			2005 228 
			2006 360 
			2007 400 
			2008 437 
			2009 511 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding her Department provided for  (a) the prevention and detection and  (b) provision of support for victims of rape in each year since 2005.

Lynne Featherstone: Where funding is allocated to tackling rape and sexual violence this includes support for victims.
	2005-06: Over £50,000
	2006-07: Over £1 million
	2007-08: Over £2.1 million
	2008-09: Over £2.7 million
	2009-10: Over £2.9 million
	2010-11: Over £2.7 million

Security: Olympic Games 2012

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with her French counterpart in France on policing and security for the London 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 20 December 2010
	Home Office Ministers meet regularly with their French counterparts to discuss security issues. No substantive discussions have to date taken place about the security of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. France is one of the UK's closest partners on a range of Government business and we enjoy a close, productive relationship. Ministers and officials will continue to engage regularly and will address this issue as necessary.

Stop the Drift

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary entitled Stop the Drift, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of steps police and prosecutors are required to take to bring a suspect to justice.

Nick Herbert: The Government are committed to reforming the criminal justice system. A more efficient and effective system will help cut crime and sharpen the focus on improving outcomes for victims and communities. We will outline our strategy to improve the efficiency of the whole criminal justice system next year. We are already taking steps.
	We are returning charging discretion to the police for a wider range of crimes, saving valuable police time, and ensuring prosecutors are focused on more complex and serious offences.
	All agencies have a shared and strong incentive to improve efficiency not only within their own area of responsibility, but across the system.

Vetting

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks will continue to be required as part of the application for a licence to grow hemp.

James Brokenshire: Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks are necessary to ensure that those licensed to possess and cultivate cannabis are of good character, and will continue to be required in the future. This is consistent with the license provisions for all other controlled drugs.

Vetting

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timescale she has set for the re-introduction of exit checks.

Damian Green: Our programme for Government sets out our clear commitment to re-introduce exit checks, which we will do by March 2015, and our clear commitment to e-Borders.
	e-Borders already supports our ability to undertake effective checks on passengers leaving the UK. It is already checking in excess of 55% of passenger movements into and out of the UK, with coverage planned to increase in the future. We have announced our intention to review by April 2011 the extent to which e-Borders provides a solution to the reintroduction of exit checks.

Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were held in Yarl's Wood detention centre on the latest date for which figures are available.

Damian Green: Table 3.7 of the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary July to September 2010 shows that as at 30 September 2010 there were five children (figure rounded to the nearest 5) detained in Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	I made a statement to the House on 16 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-26WS, which included the announcement of the immediate closure of Yarl's Wood to children.

CABINET OFFICE

Childbirth

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many births there were in NHS hospitals in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many births there were in NHS hospitals in each year since 1997 (29280).
	Figures for maternities in NHS hospitals have been compiled from birth registration data. Information on place of birth is provided by the informant at registration rather than by the hospitals themselves. The table below shows the number of maternities in NHS hospitals each year from 1997 to 2009.
	
		
			  Maternities( 1)  in NHS hospitals, 1997-2009, England and Wales 
			   Maternities 
			 1997 618,160 
			 1998 612,630 
			 1999 598,898 
			 2000 581,850 
			 2001 572,720 
			 2002 573,839 
			 2003 598,536 
			 2004 615,671 
			 2005 619,285 
			 2006 640,799 
			 2007 659,028 
			 2008 676,680 
			 2009 675,193 
			 (1) The number of maternities refers to women who gave birth to one or more live-born or stillborn children rather than the number of babies born. The number of maternities is therefore less than the total number of live births and stillbirths.

Foreign Nationals

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of  (a) UK nationals,  (b) people born in the UK,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals and  (e) non-EU nationals (i) aged over 16 years and (ii) of working age were in employment in the UK in the third quarter of 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) UK nationals, (b) people born in the UK, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals and (e) non-EU nationals (i) aged over 16 years and (ii) of working age were in employment in the UK in the third quarter of 2010. 31577
	The requested information is provided in the attached table.
	Labour market statistics published in the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin previously described as working age (men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59) have now been replaced with statistics based on those aged 16-64 for both men and women. Consequently, the estimates provided have been produced on this basis.
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for people aged 16 and over In employment( 1, 2)  by nationality and country of birth-Three months ending September 2010: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousands and per cent 
			   Aged over 16 years 
			   UK nationals  Rate  UK born  Rate  Foreign Nationals  Rate  Non-UK  EU  nationals  Rate  Non-EU nationals  Rate 
			 2010 Q3(3) 26,895* 58 25,408* 59 2,399* 64 1,213* 69 1,186* 59 
		
	
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for people aged 16 to 64 in employment( 1,2)  by nationality and country of birth-Three months ending September 2010: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousands and per cent 
			   Aged 16 to 64 years 
			   UK nationals  Rate  UK born  Rate  Foreign Nationals  Rate  Non-UK EU nationals  Rate  Non-EU nationals  Rate 
			 2010 Q3(3) 26,067* 71 24,626* 72 2,377* 68 1,204* 76 1,173* 62 
			 (1) Includes self-employed and unpaid family workers. (2) Excludes those whose nationality was not known. (3) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (4) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key: * 0 = CV<5%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ? 20%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation  Note: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.).  Source: Labour Force Survey.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Press Releases

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on how many occasions his Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings his Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions his Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

John Penrose: No oral statements have been made to the House by Ministers within the Department since 26 May 2010.

Gambling: Advertising

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effects on children of gambling advertisements; and whether he has assessed the merits of requiring the inclusion of public service warnings in gambling advertisements.

John Penrose: The Department has not made any recent assessment of the effects on children of gambling advertising, or on the merits of including public service warnings in gambling advertisements. However, the codes of practice on gambling advertising produced by the Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice contain strict controls in relation to gambling advertising and children. For example, adverts must not appeal to children and young people and must not include children or young people or any person who is/appears to be under 25-years-old.
	Furthermore, the gambling industry's voluntary code for socially responsible advertising requires gambling adverts to display the
	www.gambleaware.co.uk
	address.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which Ministers of his Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

John Penrose: The Secretary of State visited Newcastle on 2 September for the UK Schools Games Opening Ceremony.

Olympic Games 2012

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his timetable is for determining the award of the lease for the Olympic Stadium after the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) is responsible for determining the long-term legacy use of the Olympic Stadium and expects to have reached a settled position by the end of the current financial year.

Public Lending Right Scheme

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what consultation he has undertaken with writers and their representative bodies on proposed changes to the public lending right scheme.

Jeremy Hunt: We recognise the importance of the public lending right scheme to authors and are committed to working with interested groups as we discuss the details of how the new arrangements will work.

Public Lending Right Scheme

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the level of savings that would accrue from altering the arrangements for the administration of the public lending right scheme.

Jeremy Hunt: The transfer is expected to deliver some moderate back office administrative savings, but their value depends on how the body that takes over the public lending right scheme functions chooses to deliver them. We are not yet in a position to give full details of this.

Public Lending Right Scheme

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for the future administration of the public lending right scheme.

Jeremy Hunt: The question of which body takes over the public lending right (PLR) scheme role is subject to ongoing discussions. However PLR payments will still be administered by a body operating at arm's length from Government with the same independence and impartiality currently awarded to the PLR Registrar. Furthermore, as a condition of the transfer, the body will be required to commit to ring fence the fund for making payments to authors.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to implement its obligations arising from Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on participation in culture life, recreation, leisure and sport.

Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport. This reflects our commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and in particular the obligations set out in Article 30.
	A number of measures are being taken forward by DCMS and its arms length bodies. Examples include the Arts Council England's Disability Equality scheme to increase the visibility of disability equality in the arts and Visit Britain's "Accessible tourism: Making it work for your business", which sets out the business case for accessible tourism and the economic potential in providing better services and encouraging more tourism from disabled people. Another example is the London 2012 legacy for disabled people plan, which is designed to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic games leave a lasting legacy for disabled people.
	The UK Government will report to the UN in July 2011 setting out how implementation has been achieved across Government. DCMS officials are working with their counterparts at the Office for Disability Issues in preparing the report.

EDUCATION

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Telford and Wrekin

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what range of savings in  (a) cash and  (b) percentage terms his Department has asked Telford and Wrekin Council to model for its Building Schools for the Future programme.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 2 December 2010
	We have asked Partnerships for Schools to work with each relevant local authority including Telford and Wrekin council and their private sector providers to identify any options to achieve efficiencies on each Building Schools for the Future scheme. This work will take full account of the specific needs and challenges of each project and does not assume that changes can or will be made or any savings identified in advance of this exercise. These discussions are expected to conclude by late December.

Bullying: Suicide

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of the suicide of children and young adults as a result of physical, mental and online bullying.

Nick Gibb: Bullying can have negative effects on young people's lives well into their adulthood. This is why the coalition Government have made tackling bullying one of its key priorities. We are empowering schools to take a zero tolerance approach to tackling bullying. In our Education Bill next year, we will be giving heads and teachers a range of powers to instil discipline and promote good behaviour in and outside of school. We are also revising our current guidance on bullying to ensure that schools are given the right message about tackling bullying effectively and providing pastoral care for bullied children.
	Together with the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), we are taking a number of measures to help combat cyber-bullying and online abuse such as revising existing good practice guidance for industry in moderating services used by children. The UKCCIS internet safety campaign "Zip it, Block it, Flag it" makes it clear that children should think about what they say and do online, block nasty messages and tell someone they trust if something online upsets them. We are also working to improve internet safety education in schools, including what children and young people should do if they experience cyber-bullying by helping children make responsible choices when online including avoiding and engaging in such behaviour.

Child Poverty Commission

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing a Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010.

Sarah Teather: The Government's programme to reform public bodies demonstrates our determination to ensure that all public bodies must serve a useful purpose and provide value for money. In this context, the Government are reviewing plans to establish a Child Poverty Commission, as required by the Child Poverty Act.
	We have today launched a consultation on our approach to tackling child poverty and improving life chances and social mobility. We will consider in the light of the consulting findings and ahead of the publication of the Child Poverty Strategy how best to take forward plans for the Child Poverty Commission.

Child Poverty Commission: Public Appointments

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing and appointing members of the Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: The Government's programme to reform public bodies demonstrates our determination to ensure that all public bodies must serve a useful purpose and provide value for money. In this context, the Government are reviewing plans to establish a Child Poverty Commission, as required by the Child Poverty Act.
	We have today launched a consultation on our approach to tackling child poverty and improving life chances and social mobility. We will consider in the light of the consulting findings and ahead of the publication of the Child Poverty Strategy how best to take forward plans for the Child Poverty Commission.

Children: Communication Skills

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will ensure that communication competency is used as a key performance indicator for children's development; what recent representations he has received on that matter; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: The Department has received no formal representations on this matter.
	We are determined to create an education system that delivers high standards for all children, and communication skills are an important part of this. All aspects of communication competence are built into the curriculum framework for English in primary schools and are subject to assessment at Key Stages 1 and 2. We have set out our plans for school reform in our Schools White Paper and we will be announcing plans for a review of the National Curriculum shortly.
	In the early years, the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework sets out requirements for raising standards in learning and development of children aged from 0 to five through observation against developmental milestones which include communication, language and literacy. The department's key performance indicator for the early years is based on a summary of children's development at age five, which includes communication, language and literacy. A review of the Early Years Foundation Stage is currently being conducted by Dame Claire Tickell.
	Our forthcoming Green Paper on special educational needs and disabilities will set out our plans for improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including those with speech, language and communication needs.

Children: Communication Skills

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of children in  (a) Essex,  (b) London and  (c) England classified as having (i) minor and (ii) significant difficulties with speech or language who have entered school in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Sarah Teather: The available information on pupils with speech, language and communications needs in maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools can be found in the following tables of the "Special Educational Needs in England" Statistical First Releases:
	For 2010, information can be found in tables 23, 24 and 25 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000939/index.shtml
	For 2009, information can be found in tables 21, 22 and 23 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000852/index.shtml
	For 2008, information can be found in tables 20, 21 and 22 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000794/index.shtml
	 Note:
	It is not possible to identify whether these speech, language and communications needs are minor or significant.

Children: Communication Skills

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he made of the number of pupils in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools who had speech, language and communication needs in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Sarah Teather: The available information on the primary need of pupils with special educational needs can be found in the "Special Educational Needs in England" Statistical First Releases.
	Data for the last three years can be accessed at:
	Special Educational Needs in England: January 2008
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000794/index.shtml
	in Table 9;
	Special Educational Needs in England: January 2009
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000852/index.shtml
	in Table 9;
	Special Educational Needs in England: January 2010
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000939/index.shtml
	in Table 11.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each year since 1997; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary value was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education was created on Wednesday 12 May 2010 and will be responsible for annual pay awards from 1 April 2011. Information on the non-consolidated awards, in addition to salary, agreed in the pay settlements for the predecessor Department for Children, Schools and Families (2007-10), Department for Education and Skills (2001-07) and Department for Education and Employment (1997 to 2001) has been provided from available records but full information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The available information on non-consolidated performance awards and non-consolidated payments and the value of the largest 20 awards is set out in the following table.
	
		
			Non-consolidated performance awards to promote and reward high performance  Non-consolidated payments to support low paid staff  
			  Performance year  Department  Payments (£ million)  Number of staff receiving a payment  Percentage of all staff receiving a payment  Payments (£000)  Number of staff  Value of largest 20 payments 
			 2009-10 DCSF 1.9 1,368 51 156 780 £10,000-£15,000 
			 2008-09 DCSF 1.9 1,494 51 167 835 £9,500-£15,000 
			 2007-08 DCSF 1.9 1,394 51 197 985 £10,500-£25,000 
			 
			 2006-07 DFES (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2005-06 DFES (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2004-05 DFES (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2002-03 DFES (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2001-02 DFES (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2000-01 DFEE (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 1999-2000 DFEE (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 1998-99 DFEE (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 1997-98 DFEE (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 (1) The information for the former Department for Education and Skills (DFES) and the Department for Education and Employment (DFEE), is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	The DFE does not hold the detailed pay information requested on its non-departmental public bodies and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education (DFE) was created on Wednesday 12 May 2010. Information on the allowances and payments available to officials, in addition to the agreed 1997 to 2010 salary settlements for the predecessor Department for Children, Schools and Families (2007-10), Department for Education and Skills (2001-07) and Department for Education and Employment (1997 to 2001) has been provided in the following table. The information provided is from readily available records and includes information on DFE from 12 May 2010. Full information prior to 2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Department and award period  Payments available to staff in addition to salary  Total budget (£000)  Number of awards made 
			 12 May 2010 to 30 September 2010 DFE (1)(, 4)- 78 1,200 
			 1 April 2010 to 11 May 2010 DCSF (1)(, 4)- 22 250 
			 2009-10 DCSF (1)(, 4)- 200 3,300 
			 2008-09 DCSF (1)(, 4)- 160 3,200 
			 2007-08 DCSF (1)(, 4)- 150 2,500 
			 
			 2006-07 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2005-06 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2004-05 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2003-04 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2002-03 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2001-02 DFES (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 2000-01 DFEE (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 1999-2000 DFEE (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 1998-99 DFEE (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 1997-08 DFEE (2)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- (3)(, 4)- 
			 (1) The Instant Reward gift voucher scheme uses up to 0.2% of the pay bill to reward staff. The aim is to recognize and reward staff whose actions have significant impact on the departmental priority areas: Outcome and People Management; Collaborative working; Innovation; and Customer Service. The vouchers values are from £5 to £150. (2 )The Divisional Award Scheme rewarded staff. The scheme encouraged senior managers to recognize and reward achievements in their teams. Up to 0.2% of the pay bill was available. (3) The information for the former Department for Education and Skills (DFES) and the Department for Education and Employment (DFEE), is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs. (4 )Indicates brace. 
		
	
	The DFE does not hold the detailed pay information requested on its non-departmental public bodies and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education: Travellers

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of children from Travelling families who were not in full-time education in each year since 2001.

Nick Gibb: We do not have information about the number of children who are not in full-time education.
	Local authorities in England and Wales have had, since February 2007, a statutory duty to make arrangements to identify all children missing from education in their area. The duty applies in relation to children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll, and who are not receiving a suitable education otherwise than being at school (for example, being educated at home, privately educated or in alternative provision).
	It is important that schools and local authorities implement the systems and regulations and follow the guidance in place around keeping registers, excluding pupils and removing pupils from the school roll. Schools must fulfil their requirement to inform local authorities when pupils are deleted from the school roll or have "disappeared" following 10 days unauthorised absence from the school. Notifying the local authority is important because the local authority can then attempt to trace the children and ensure that any pupils that are removed from the roll of a school are receiving a suitable education.

Education: Travellers

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the educational achievement of children from Travelling families at each key educational stage compared to those of their peers with fixed addresses in each year since 2001.

Nick Gibb: Information about the educational achievement of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) children at the end of key stages 1, 2 and 4 since 2003 is set out in the following tables. The information is collected on the basis of self-identification of Gypsy, Roma or Traveller ethnicity in English primary, secondary and special schools. The Department does not collect data on pupil mobility or their residence.
	
		
			  Key stage 1 assessment 
			  Percentage achieving level 2+ in reading 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 28.0 31.0 32.0 29.6 33.2 31.9 35.6 35.5 
			 Gypsy/Roma 42.0 45.0 42.0 39.9 37.7 36.9 34.7 37.3 
			 Non-GRT 84.0 85.0 85.0 84.3 83.7 83.8 84.4 84.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 2+ in writing 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 28.0 29.0 30.0 30.0 29.9 27.6 31.6 30.8 
			 Gypsy/Roma 38.0 43.0 40.0 36.4 35.9 33.6 31.6 32.1 
			 Non-GRT 81.0 82.0 82.0 81.2 80.2 79.9 80.8 80.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 2+ in mathematics 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 52.0 50.0 52.0 49.8 52.3 51.6 53.3 50.8 
			 Gypsy/Roma 60.0 64.0 62.0 60.4 55.5 57.0 51.8 52.6 
			 Non-GRT 90.0 90.0 91.0 90.2 89.8 89.5 89.5 89.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 2+ in science 
			  % 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 49.5 49.2 48.4 54.2 51.4 
			 Gypsy/Roma 58.3 55.5 57.5 50.5 52.0 
			 Non-GRT 89.1 88.8 88.6 88.9 88.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Key stage 2 assessment 
			  Percentage achieving level 4+ in English 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 23.0 23.0 26.0 26.5 34.9 33.4 29.1 
			 Gypsy/Roma 30.0 30.0 37.0 34.9 34.4 39.6 33.1 
			 Non-GRT 75.0 77.0 79.0 78.9 79.9 81.0 79.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 4+ in mathematics 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 19.0 23.0 26.0 28.6 35.7 30.2 33.6 
			 Gypsy/Roma 27.0 25.0 33.0 31.7 35.9 38.5 36.2 
			 Non-GRT 72.0 73.0 75.0 75.4 76.8 78.4 78.6 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 4+ in science 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 36.0 38.0 39.0 41.5 49.4 43.1 50.5 
			 Gypsy/Roma 48.0 45.0 53.0 50.5 52.2 56.0 51.3 
			 Non-GRT 86.0 86.0 86.0 86.4 87.4 88.0 88.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving level 4+ in English and mathematics 
			  % 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 18.5 24.7 22.2 21.6 
			 Gypsy/Roma 23.6 24.8 28.9 24.8 
			 Non-GRT 69.5 70.8 72.7 71.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Key stage 4 assessment 
			  Percentage achieving 5+ A*-C grades 
			  % 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 41.6 30.2 22.5 19.0 16.6 18.3 24.4 
			 Gypsy/Roma 23.2 13.5 14.7 10.4 14.0 16.4 19.8 
			 Non-GRT 50.7 51.9 54.9 57.3 59.9 64.4 69.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage achieving 5+A*-C grades including English and math ematics 
			 % 
			  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Traveller of Irish heritage 20.7 11.1 8.6 7.3 9.2 
			 Gypsy/Roma 9.1 3.9 7.0 6.8 9.1 
			 Non-GRT 42.5 44.0 45.8 48.2 50.7

Financial Services: Education

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make resources available to schools for teaching financial capability.

Nick Gibb: The recently published schools White Paper, "The Importance of Teaching", sets out how schools will be freed from the constraints of central Government direction, including trusting the professional judgment of teachers to support all children to progress. The coalition Government have also ensured, through its spending review decisions for the period 2011-15, that more resources are devolved to schools; this will enable teachers, rather than central Government, to decide which resources will best meet the needs of their pupils.

Free Schools

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the responsibilities of his Department's Free Schools Group are.

Nick Gibb: The Free Schools Group is responsible for policy development and providing support to groups and individuals who are interested in establishing a new school.

Languages: GCSE

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on reinstating the teaching of a modern language as a compulsory GCSE subject.

Nick Gibb: The Government believes that learning a language is important to the social and economic future of the country and to help children understand the world in which they live. We will be announcing more details about a review of the National Curriculum shortly. This review will consider the status of languages at both primary and secondary level. We plan to consult a wide range of academics, teachers and other interested parties to ensure that our core curriculum can compare favourably with those of the highest performing countries in the world.
	On 6 September, in a speech at Westminster Academy, the Secretary of State announced an English Baccalaureate, to include a modern or ancient language as one of the core academic subjects that children should learn at GCSE level, along with English, maths, science and a humanity subject. Further detail was included in the White Paper "The Importance of Teaching", published on 22 November.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2010,  Official Report, column 570W, on personal, social, health and economic education, whether he plans to publish the Sex and Relationships Education Guidance to Schools, issued for consultation in January 2010; what assessment he has made of the compatibility of his proposals for sex and relationships education with proposed guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on sex and relationships education within personal, social, health and economic education; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: We are considering the future guidance to schools on Sex and Relationships Education in the context of our announcement of an internal review of personal, social, health and economic education in the Schools White Paper, the Importance of Teaching, published on 24 November. We will make a further announcement about this review shortly.
	Schools are currently required by law to 'have regard to' the guidance issued by the Secretary of State and published in 2000.

Physical Education: Manpower

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many advanced skills teachers of physical education there are.

Nick Gibb: There were 148 full and part-time advanced skills teachers of physical education employed in local authority maintained Schools in England in January 2009 which is the latest information available. This figure is a head count and does not include academies.

Pre-school Education: Standards

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) availability and  (b) standard of early years provision in (i) South Thanet constituency and (ii) England.

Sarah Teather: These are matters for Ofsted. The chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.

Pupils: Multiple Births

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to update the school admissions code to better meet the needs of multiple birth families; which organisations he plans to consult on such proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The School Admissions Code allows admission authorities to give priority to siblings when schools are oversubscribed, and contains a presumption that provision for multiple birth families will be made when setting oversubscription criteria. It is for authorities to decide, in consultation with their local communities, which oversubscription criteria are most appropriate for the needs of families in their area.
	Officials have begun talking to interested parties around the review of the School Admissions Code announced in the Schools White Paper, prior to full public consultation-meetings have included representation from the Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA).

School Sport Partnerships: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department made of the capacity of school sport partnerships to co-ordinate the work of national governing bodies of sport with schools in a local area prior to making the decision to end funding for school sport partnerships from April 2011.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 29 November 2010
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has announced that he will fund secondary schools to release a qualified PE teacher from timetable for one day each week in the school years 2011/12 and 2012/13 so that more pupils can enter competitions run by the national governing bodies of sport. He has also lifted the many requirements of the previous Government's PE and sport strategy which prevented schools from getting on with providing competitive sport for their pupils. Taken together, these measures will give schools the freedom to concentrate on providing a truly rounded education for their pupils, which includes sport. The Government's new school games will provide further incentive to national governing bodies of sport to offer more attractive, deliverable competitions for schools.

School Sport Partnerships: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what account his Department took of economies of scale for schools arising from school sport partnerships (SSPs) prior to taking the decision to end funding of SSPs from April 2011.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 29 November 2010
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education's objective in the spending review was to protect school budgets and introduce a pupil premium, at a time when cutting the budget deficit is an urgent national priority. The Government have now given schools the freedom to decide whether to belong to partnerships such as those for sport and we trust school leaders to take their own decisions. The Secretary of State has, in addition, announced that he will fund secondary schools to release a qualified PE teacher from timetable for one day a week in the school years 2011/12 and 2012/13 to embed good practice and organise more competitive sport.

School Sport Partnerships: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department made of the average level of funding provided to schools by school sport partnerships (SSPs) prior to its decision to end funding for SSPs from April 2011.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 29 November 2010
	There is no average level of funding for school sport partnerships. The level of funding for each partnership is based on the number of staff working within it, which varies significantly from area to area. The standard model for a school sport partnership is: a full-time partnership development manager; a school sport co-ordinator (two days per week) in each secondary school; a primary link teacher (12 days per year) in each primary school; and an FE sport co-ordinator (two days per week) in each FE college.

School Sport Partnerships: Finance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department made of the capacity of partnership development managers to co-ordinate voluntary sports clubs work with local schools prior to taking its decision to end funding for school sport partnerships from April 2011.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 29 November 2010
	The coalition Government's priority is to encourage more competitive school sport through the creation of a school games. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education's assessment is that the previous Government's PE and sport strategy is not effective or affordable for that specific objective. The school games will provide a clearer framework for national governing bodies of sport and local sports clubs to provide much more attractive competitions and support for schools. The development of better links between sports clubs and schools is the responsibility of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which intends to continue funding for this work.

Schools: Admissions

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the level of demand for school places in  (a) West Ham constituency,  (b) the London borough of Newham and  (c) London in each of the next five years.

Nick Gibb: It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage the supply and demand for primary and secondary school places in its area and secure a place for every child of statutory school age who wants one. Ministers play no role in deciding primary and secondary school provision in individual authorities and constituencies but the Department will continue to provide capital funding and work with local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places.
	The Department does collect information from each local authority on school capacity in maintained schools through an annual survey, which includes LAs' own pupil forecasts. A copy of the most recent survey data relating to the position at May 2010 has been placed in the House Libraries. However, the level of demand for school places cannot be determined by pupil forecasts alone as other local factors do have an influence, for example, surplus school places and changes to school capacity; the forecasting of demand is a matter for local authorities to determine.

Schools: Admissions

Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of surplus places at maintained schools in  (a) Reading East constituency and  (b) England in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of surplus school places in maintained schools through an annual survey. The numbers of surplus places are reported at local authority level and not broken down by constituency. As at May 2010, there were 1,596 surplus primary places (14% of total capacity) in Reading; at secondary level there were 977 surplus places (15% of total capacity).
	Copies have been placed in the House Libraries of the most recent data available relating to the position at May 2010 and surplus places information from previous years' survey results.

Schools: Admissions

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department has given local authorities on the time to be taken in processing in-year school admissions.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 13 December 2010
	 The Department for Children, Schools and Families issued question and answer guidance about the co-ordination of in-year school admissions on 7 October 2009.
	Paragraph 3.22 of the School Admissions Code requires that applications made outside the normal admissions round are considered without delay. It is for local authorities to set a time scale within which they will process applications, although to take any longer than a week might be considered unreasonable in light of the requirement in paragraph 3.22.
	In most cases, a decision will be easy to make. Except in the case of a grammar school, where a parent applies for a place and the school has places available the child should be admitted. There will be no need to refer to the oversubscription criteria. Even where one place is available and two children have applied, deciding which child should have priority will not normally require lengthy consideration. We believe most decisions could be made within five school days, but a small number of cases might be more complex. We think it would be reasonable for a local authority to allow admission authorities five school days to make a decision in the majority of cases, and a maximum of 10 school days in more complex cases.

Schools: Asbestos

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of children attending schools with buildings in respect of which  (a) dangerous and  (b) high levels of asbestos have been identified;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to remove asbestos from  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school buildings in the next five years;
	(3)  what plans he has for the removal of asbestos from  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school buildings where dangerously high levels of asbestos have been identified;
	(4)  what plans he has for the refurbishment of school buildings in respect of which dangerous levels of asbestos have been found.

Nick Gibb: The latest estimate was that around 70% of school buildings contain some asbestos containing materials (ACMs). The estimate was made in 2007 based on a profile of the stock of school buildings which was based on earlier condition surveys of schools.
	Since then a number of schools have been replaced under major capital building programmes. Buildings contain a range of ACMs, for example moulded or preformed asbestos lagging used as thermal insulation on pipes and boilers; asbestos insulating board used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts; and asbestos- containing floor tiles and textured coatings. The responsibility to assess the condition of ACMs in schools falls to the duty holder, under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, usually the local authority.
	We have no plans to carry out a comprehensive programme of removal of asbestos across all schools. Asbestos must be managed in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. The danger from asbestos arises from the release of asbestos fibres. If schools are properly managed and maintained, there should not be dangerously high levels of asbestos fibres. Where asbestos is in a dangerous condition it must be sealed or removed in accordance with the Regulations.
	Asbestos does not pose a serious risk if it is managed properly in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not recommend the routine removal of asbestos. Its advice remains that, providing that ACMs are maintained in good condition, they can be left where they are and managed until a building reaches the end of its life and asbestos can be removed without risk of exposing building users to risks arising from significant disturbance.
	Responsibility for prioritisation of specific asbestos removal projects rests with individual schools and local authorities. The Government are committed to ensuring there is a fairer, more effective and more efficient system for allocation of capital money; our priorities for the allocation are to meet the need for additional pupil places.

Schools: Inspections

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the qualification requirements in respect of non-HM Inspectorate of Education inspectors at Ofsted; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her letter has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 15 November 2010:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
	In addition to Her Majesty's Inspectors, Ofsted directly employs regulatory inspectors who inspect social care provision and undertake regulatory activities relating to that provision.
	A recruitment campaign in May 2010 for regulatory inspectors set out the following qualifications and experience as essential requirements for applicants:
	a recognised social work qualification or a professional qualification relevant to working with children which must be at a minimum level 4 (NVQ level 4 or equivalent);
	significant knowledge of social care regulations and standards including a wider knowledge of social care practice and legislation;
	a robust knowledge of child protection and safeguarding of children.
	In addition to the HMI and social care regulatory inspectors who work directly for Ofsted, the Inspection Service Providers, who are contracted to Ofsted to undertake inspections, employ inspectors as follows:
	(i) Additional inspectors inspect schools, learning and skills and initial teacher education providers. The contractual obligations on the Inspection Service Providers require them to ensure that all inspectors are fit and proper to inspect on Ofsted's behalf. They must have credibility and up to date professional knowledge and will normally have gained a degree or an equivalent qualification. They are expected to have appropriate experience, usually drawn from a number of years in a senior management position in an education or other relevant setting or service. In addition, they need to have competence in the use of information technology and a clear enhanced criminal records bureau check that is refreshed every three years. Prior to appointment, all inspectors must provide employers' references and participate in a medical assessment to ensure they are fit for the work they are to undertake.
	(ii) Early years inspectors carry out inspections of providers of early years and childcare against regulations and quality standards for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Nearly all of the inspectors currently working for the Inspection Service Providers were until 1 September 2010 directly employed by Ofsted, They must have a full professional qualification in early education, care or regulatory work, or equivalent knowledge and experience. For those inspectors without a degree, Ofsted established a successful programme to assist in helping them study for one. This programme is being continued by the Inspection Service Providers and it is expected that all early years inspectors will have a degree by 2015.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Schools: Religion

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with which faith groups he expects to work on the proposals in the schools White Paper; what form he expects that work to take; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 6 December 2010
	The Department for Education works with a wide range of faith groups that have schools in the maintained sector (including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh groups) at official and ministerial level. We reaffirmed our commitment to work with these groups in the White Paper, "The Importance of Teaching".

Sex: Health Education

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons Stonewall is the only campaign group quoted in paragraph 4.29 of the Schools White Paper; which other campaign groups he plans to work with in developing his policy on sex and relationships education; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 9 December 2010
	The White Paper gave Stonewall as an example of a group that we will work with to make sure sex and relationships education encompasses an understanding of the ways in which humans love each other and stresses the importance of respecting individual autonomy. This is not the same as saying that Stonewall will be the only such group that we shall work with. We intend to work with key partners to ensure that sex and relationships education as a whole is of high quality and meets the needs of children and young people.

Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what qualifications in sign language are required by teaching assistants and communication support workers who work with deaf children who communicate primarily in sign language.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 15 November
	There are no mandatory qualifications for teaching assistants or support workers who work with deaf children and communicate primarily in sign language. Head teachers when recruiting and deploying a teaching assistant in this context should ensure the member of staff possesses the appropriate skills to carry out the role.

Special Educational Needs

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on children with statements of special educational needs remaining in mainstream schools.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 12 November 2010
	The Government's policy is to improve the way parents of children with statements can express their preferences for the schools they wish them to attend, whether that it is a mainstream or special school. The forthcoming Green Paper on special educational needs and disabilities will include more information on this.

Sure Start Programme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Sure Start places there were in  (a) the UK and  (b) each region in each of the last 10 years; and how many such places he expects there to be in each of the next five years.

Sarah Teather: Figures for the number of children and their families attending and using Sure Start Children's Centres are not collected nationally. Local authorities in England are responsible for arranging sufficient provision of children's centres to meet local need.
	On 30 September 2010, 3,634 Sure Start Children's Centres were open in England, providing access to services to over three million children under five and their families.
	The following table details how many Sure Start Children's Centres have been established in each region in England since 2003. There were no children's centres opened prior to 2003.
	
		
			2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  Total 
			 East Midlands Centres 2 9 10 58 44 109 53 27 312 
			  Reach 1,954 8,291 6,422 47,345 37,082 90,506 46,421 19,725 257,746 
			 East of England Centres 7 6 25 34 97 114 75 55 413 
			  Reach 6,594 3,924 24,025 24,260 77,992 88,814 54,164 45,123 324,896 
			 London Centres 12 24 25 98 156 158 52 66 591 
			  Reach 8,955 19,986 22,073 90,367 141,686 131,157 35,712 48,607 498,543 
			 North East Centres 6 24 18 62 32 33 10 3 188 
			  Reach 5,498 18,937 11,395 48,266 23,232 23,215 5,723 2,561 138,827 
			 North West Centres 14 16 40 92 121 110 41 34 468 
			  Reach 11,900 12,277 37,622 82,846 104,842 91,659 29,549 28,180 398,875 
			 South East Centres 3 12 34 51 121 183 102 58 564 
			  Reach 3,298 10,141 29,226 44,690 104,426 158,367 87,221 47,377 484,746 
			 South West Centres 4 11 25 51 85 92 30 45 343 
			  Reach 4,235 10,307 19,985 39,119 70,453 77,541 22,267 34,456 278,363 
			 West Midlands Centres 4 9 33 75 94 88 56 16 375 
			  Reach 3,670 8,531 37,436 72,734 83,274 78,980 40,282 11,268 336,175 
			 Yorkshire and Humber Centres 6 18 38 75 70 118 50 5 380 
			  Reach 4,747 17,291 31,828 60,377 59,622 93,460 37,911 3,597 308,833 
			  Centres 58 129 248 596 820 1005 469 309 3634 
			  Reach 50,851 109,685 220,012 510,004 702,609 833,699 359,250 240,894 302,7004 
		
	
	The reach area defines those children and families with the opportunity to access children's centres.

Teachers: Unemployment

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department has made of the number of fully-qualified teachers who are unemployed.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of fully-qualified teachers who are unemployed. 029421
	Estimates of unemployment are taken from the Labour Force Survey. For the three month period ending September 2010 it is estimated that 49,000 people who hold either a teaching qualification to degree level, a first degree that provides qualified teacher status or a post graduate certificate in education, are unemployed.

Teachers: Vacancies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many rural schools had unfilled teaching vacancies in each local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 2 December 2010
	The information requested is not currently available.
	The November 2010 School Workforce Census will provide the number of teacher vacancies in each school for the first time and therefore it will be possible to identify those in rural schools separately. This information will be available in spring 2011.

Universities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of young people in each  (a) local authority area and  (b) constituency went to university in (i) 1991, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2010.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply.
	I will respond to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
	The numbers of young (aged under 21) undergraduate entrants, from each local authority and constituency in England and Wales, to UK higher education institutions are shown in Tables 1 and 2, which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Figures are provided for the 1997/98 and 2008/09 academic years. Information for 1991 and 2010 is not available. The Department does not collect information on the number of residents in a particular area who are not in higher education, which would be necessary to calculate a proportion. It is, therefore, not possible to calculate the proportion of young people in each local authority and constituency who enter higher education.
	Information on entrant numbers for the 2009/10 academic year will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in January 2011. Figures provided in Tables 1 and 2 have been calculated using updated postcode information and are, therefore, not comparable with local authority and constituency level data which may have been published previously.
	Comparable local authority and constituency-level information on entrants to higher education courses at further education colleges is not available.

Vocational Guidance

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism he plans to establish to ensure that schools deliver a professional and individualised careers service to pupils.

Nick Gibb: We intend to restore a focus on specialist expertise in careers guidance for young people based on the core principles of independence and professionalism, and will establish an all-age careers service by April 2012. We are reviewing legislative provisions with a view to focusing on schools' responsibility to secure independent, impartial careers guidance for all pupils, while removing unnecessary burdens in order to give schools the freedom to decide how best to do this.

Youth Services

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the Myplace programme; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: A written ministerial statement confirming capital funding for youth facilities planned under the myplace programme was published on 7 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 13-14WS. That same day I wrote to all myplace project leaders, copied to local MPs and Directors of Children's Services to confirm the Government's priorities for the programme, and in tandem the Big Lottery Fund wrote individually to projects to explain the way forward.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeship starts there were in Harlow constituency in each year since 2000.

John Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts in Harlow parliamentary constituency from 2005/06 to 2008/09, the latest year for which final year data is available. 2005/06 is the earliest year for which we have apprenticeship starts based on the new parliamentary constituency boundaries which came in to effect in May 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts, 2005/06 to 2008/09 
			   Harlow parliamentary constituency 
			 2005/06 270 
			 2006/07 290 
			 2007/08 290 
			 2008/09 340 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for Harlow parliamentary constituency are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Figures are based upon the home postcode of the learner and on constituency boundaries which came in to effect in May 2010. Historic information on apprenticeship starts and achievements under the previous parliamentary constituency boundaries can be found at: http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_archive/  Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR), this includes information by parliamentary constituency. The latest SFR was published on 16 November 2010:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Broadband

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of the utilisation of superfast broadband on levels of economic growth; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have made no specific assessment, but various studies suggest superfast broadband will have a substantial positive effect on economic growth. This is why the Government are investing £530 million to support broadband rollout. The evidence obtained from studies of the economic impact of the rollout of first generation broadband shows that communities with broadband grew faster than those without it.

Broadband Delivery UK: Finance

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding he plans to allocate to Broadband Delivery UK for the roll-out of superfast broadband; and from which budgets this funding will be drawn.

Edward Vaizey: £530 million was allocated in the spending review to support broadband rollout up to 2015. This is made up of £230 million from the underspend of the Digital Switchover Helpscheme up to 2013 and £150 million per annum from the TV licence fee settlement from 2013-15.

Broadband: Scotland

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 588-89W, on broadband: Scotland, when he expects the West Dunbartonshire local authority area to benefit from greater availability of superfast broadband as a result of the UK Government's policies.

Edward Vaizey: We have so far identified four pilot projects, and announced our intention to select a further wave of projects in 2011. We have not made any decisions about locations beyond the initial four areas. When West Dunbartonshire will benefit will depend on how its circumstances compare to those of other areas. In particular, it will be important that the local authority, alongside the Scottish Government, is able to demonstrate the extent of the need for intervention in the local area and provide support for a project.

BSkyB: News Corporation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the media industry on the News Corporation bid for BSkyB; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no such discussions about the proposed merger. However, prior to taking his decision to intervene on public interest grounds, he did receive written representations on the matter from various media sector enterprises. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is due to receive a report from Ofcom by 31 December on the potential for the merger to impact on the public interest and will take this into account in deciding whether or not to refer the merger to the Competition Commission for a full investigation.

BSkyB: News Corporation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with News Corporation on its bid for a majority holding in BSkyB.

Edward Davey: None. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State did receive substantive representations from News Corporation's legal advisers prior to taking his decision to intervene in this merger on public interest grounds.

BSkyB: News Corporation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympics and Sport on News Corporation's bid for a majority holding in BSkyB.

Edward Davey: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions on this matter with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture Media Olympics and Sport.

Businesses: Financial Service Authority

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the likely effects on small businesses of the proposals of the Financial Services Authority to implement the recommendation of the Retail Distribution Review.

Mark Hoban: I have been asked to reply.
	The Retail Distribution Review is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority, an independent body.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussion.

Contracts

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff on fixed-term contracts his Department has employed since May 2010; what the average salary was of such staff; and what the total expenditure was on salaries for such contracts.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has employed 12 people on fixed-term contracts since May 2010. The mean salary for these staff was £53,833 and the total annualised expenditure on salaries for these contracts will be £645,998.

Departmental Early Retirement

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.

Edward Davey: Under the Civil Service Compensation scheme, Departments and agencies can offer early retirement packages in circumstances prescribed by the Civil Service Management Code. These are on either flexible or compulsory early retirement (FER or CER) terms (where pensions are based on enhanced service); or approved early retirement (AER) terms (where pensions are not reduced for early payment).
	The total number of staff who left the Department in the last three years on early retirement packages are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Core BIS  2007-08  2008-09  2009-2010 
			 FER or CER 96 16 18 
			 AER 1 0 0 
		
	
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to my hon. Friend directly.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 20 December 2010:
	Thank you for your parliamentary question asking how many staff have been offered enhanced early retirement packages by the Skills Funding Agency (the Agency) in each of the last three years.
	The Agency (and its predecessor, the Learning and Skills Council) has offered enhanced early retirement packages to six employees in the last three years. These include one employee leaving between November 2007-November 2008 (0.03 per cent of headcount) and five employees leaving between November 2009-November 2010 (0.15 per cent of headcount).
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 3November 2010:
	The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) has asked me to reply to your question how many staff of (a) his Department and (b) his agencies have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.
	The Insolvency Service is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Senior Civil Servants employed by The Insolvency Service are dealt with by its parent Department, BIS.
	Responsibility for all Insolvency Service staff below Senior Civil Service Level has been delegated to The Service. In respect of staff employed by The Insolvency Service and falling within its responsibility, the Insolvency Service has not offered enhanced early retirement packages to any member of staff in each of the last three years.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 3 November 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 01/11/2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	In the last three years, staff offered early retirement packages are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of staff 
			 2007 Nil 
			 2008 39 
			 2009 39 
		
	
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 3 November 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 1 November [reference 2010/2068] asking how many staff have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in each of the last three years.
	No staff in NMO, or its predecessor, have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in the last three years.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 4 November 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 1 November 2010, UIN 22019 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Six staff have been offered enhanced early retirement packages in the last three years. These were all offered in the year 2007/08.

Departmental Pay

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff employed by his Department were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Davey: There are currently no London based staff employed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills who are paid at a rate less than the London Living Wage of £7.85 per hour.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the effect of the increase in the standard rate of value added tax on his Department's annual expenditure.

Edward Davey: The Department's most recent estimate is that the rise in VAT from 1 January 2011 will increase expenditure by approximately £2.5 million in the current financial year.
	Departmental spending review settlements are set on a tax-inclusive basis, including the increase to the standard rate of VAT. Departments can recover VAT that they incur on certain contracted out services.

Departmental Recruitment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many members of the Senior Civil Service his Department has recruited in each year since its inception; at what cost to the public purse that recruitment was undertaken in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created in June 2009. In 2009 we recruited 10 senior civil servants at a cost of £104,661.43 and in 2010 we recruited two senior civil servants at a cost of £66,529.83.
	Nine of the senior civil servants were recruited from the private sector to work in the Shareholder Executive. In addition we recruited the BIS Director of Finance, the Managing Director, Marketing Group in UK Trade and Investment and the Chief Economic Adviser.
	Open competitions were held to ensure that BIS recruited the best available candidates and has the specialist skills it needs to take forward its challenging agenda.

Departmental Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what training opportunities his Department provides to its staff on engineering and science.

Edward Davey: Training budgets are not held centrally but delegated to line managers and business units. Decisions are made locally on how the money is spent and this information is not held centrally. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Farepak

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the proportion of monies recovered by the administrators of Farepak that was paid to  (a) former customers of Farepak and  (b) the administrators.

Edward Davey: Total receipts during the period of the administration of Farepak, from 13 October 2006 to 4 October 2007, were £6,721,572. No monies were paid to customers and total fees and disbursements paid to the administrators were £654,926 which equates to 9.74% of total receipts.
	The company subsequently entered into creditors' voluntary liquidation on 4 October 2007. The most recent receipts and payments account to 3 October 2010, shows total receipts of £10,779,201 in the liquidation, which sum includes £3,784,589 transferred from the administration. The liquidators estimate that there will be sufficient funds available for a dividend in the region of 15p in the £1. Following a court judgment, £246,180 has been paid to certain creditors whose funds were subject to a trust which equates to 2.28% of the total receipts in the liquidation. Total fees and disbursements paid to the liquidators were £504,413 which equates to 4.68% of the total receipts in the liquidation.

Fireworks

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will assess the merits of consolidating existing legislation regulating the sale and use of fireworks.

Edward Davey: There are no plans to consolidate the legislation regulating the sale and use of fireworks. The Government believes that the current package of fireworks regulations offers robust measures to regulate the supply, possession and use of fireworks which are generally widely understood.

Higher Education

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students domiciled in Wales he expects to study in English universities in  (a) 2012,  (b) 2013 and  (c) 2014.

David Willetts: We do not plan for the numbers of students domiciled in each UK country. We expect overall entrant numbers to remain broadly constant over the spending review period.

Higher Education Funding Council

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of new university funding arrangements on Higher Education Funding Council for England-funded initial teacher training for university teachers; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: No such assessment has been made. The Higher Education Funding Council for England does not directly fund initial teacher training for university teachers. Academic staff are employed by higher education institutions which are responsible for determining and providing for the training of their staff. The Higher Education Academy has developed, and is currently consulting on enhancements to, the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education. This is a framework through which institutions can develop approaches to initial and continuing professional development for staff who teach and support student learning. It underpins much of the initial teacher training and continuing professional development in UK higher education.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which Ministers of his Department have visited the North East since their appointment; and what the  (a) date and  (b) purpose was of each such visit.

Edward Davey: On 5 August my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited Corus in Redcar, attended a Growth Finance Roundtable at Teesside University with members of the North East Chambers of Commence and Northern Business Forum and also the National Renewable Energy Centre at Blyth.
	On 8 October he made a speech at the Fastest 50 Business Awards, at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle.
	On 17 June my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities and Science visited the Student Loans Company processing centre in Darlington and Northumbria university's 'Graduate Design Show' and the Centre for Life in Newcastle.
	On 26 August my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning visited Sunderland to attend the launch of the Nissan Juke and Newcastle to visit the college.

Ofcom

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which parties  (a) requested and  (b) were granted extensions to the deadline for Ofcom's Implementing Geolocation consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom's "Implementing Geolocation" consultation opened on 7 November 2010 and closed on 7 December 2010. 30 responses were received within the consultation period. Eight organisations requested extensions and all were granted in full, as follows:
	
		
			  Organisation  Extension requested  Extension granted 
			 Arqiva 1 week As requested 
			 BBC 1 week As requested 
			 BEIRG 2 months As requested 
			 Digital UK 1 week As requested 
			 Freeview 1 month As requested 
			 ITV 2 months As requested 
			 Shure 2 months As requested 
			 Vodafone 3 days As requested 
		
	
	Of those granted, four responses have now been received. All received responses are available on the Ofcom website.

Overseas Students

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many non-EU overseas students enrolled on courses below degree level at  (a) general further education colleges,  (b) sixth form colleges,  (c) maintained schools,  (d) independent schools and  (e) private providers of education and training in England in each of the last three academic years.

John Hayes: holding answer 9 December 2010
	Table 1 shows the number of government-funded non-EU domiciled learners participating on courses below level 4 (degree level) by provider type in England for 2007/08 to 2009/10, based on information for the year to date.
	Government funded learning as recorded on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) is restricted to home learners. Therefore funded learners who are non EEA (European Economic Area) nationals must have been resident in the UK for the three years preceding their course start date and the main purpose for residence was not to receive full-time education during any part of that three year period. There are a limited number of exceptions to this, for example-refugees, learners with indefinite leave to remain status, or learners studying under reciprocal exchange agreements.
	The Department for Education does not collect information on the nationality or country of domicile of pupils in maintained or independent schools.
	
		
			  Table 1: Government funded participation of non-EU domiciled learners on courses below level 4 by provider type, 2007/08 to 2009/10 (provisional) 
			  Academic year  General FE college including tertiary  Sixth form college  Private sector public funded  Other  Total 
			 2007/08 8,000 500 500 3,400 12,300 
			 2008/09(1) 7,400 500 300 9,500 17,800 
			 2009/10(1) 5,700 200 200 3,300 9,400 
			 (1 )Figures for 2008/09 onwards are not directly comparable to earlier years as the introduction of demand led funding has changed how data are collected and how funded learners are defined from 2008/09 onwards. More information on demand led funding is available at  http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/datadictionary/businessdefinitions/Demand+ Led+Fundinq.htm.  Notes:  1. These data includes Learner Responsive, Apprenticeships, Train to Gain and University for Industry data. The data do not include Adult Safeguarded Learning as information on country of domicile is not collected.  2. Figures include government-funded learners only, funded by The Skills Funding Agency/Young Person's Learning Agency.  3. Learners on a course of level 4 or higher are not included in the above figures. Learners on a course with 'no level assigned' are included in these data.  4. The 'Other' category includes Other Public Funded i.e. local authorities and higher education institutions, special colleges (agricultural and horticulture colleges and art, design and performing arts colleges) and specialist designated colleges.  5. All figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.  6. Data for non-EU learners includes learners from the European Economic Area (EEA).  Source:  Individualised Learner Record

Post Office: North West

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of people in the North West the Post Office employs.

Edward Davey: This Department does not hold details of the numbers of people employed by the Post Office.
	I have therefore asked Moya Greene, the chief executive of Royal Mail, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of the reply will placed in the Libraries of the House.

Postgraduate Education: Finance

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to bring his proposals for a reduction in funding for postgraduate provision into effect.

David Willetts: We will publish the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) grant letter for 2011-12 shortly. It is for the council to determine how that resource should be allocated. The new system of higher education funding whereby funding will flow through the choices made by students rather than direct grants will be phased in from 2012-13. We will set our priorities for residual grant, including for taught postgraduate provision and our response to the postgraduate review in the forthcoming higher education White Paper. Research postgraduate provision is not directly affected by our proposed reforms.

Regional Development Agencies: Redundancies

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of redundancy costs in respect of staff of regional development agencies in each of the next three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the redundancy costs arising from the closure of regional development agencies.

Mark Prisk: It is not yet possible to estimate future redundancy costs firmly because decisions on staff transfers to successor bodies have still to be settled and other factors will apply including the level of staff departures occurring through other reasons such as resignation. The impact of the Superannuation Act and the timing of the implementation of any interim measures and the new negotiated terms will also have an effect.

Science: Females

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of his Department's science budget was spent on measures to increase diversity and equality in the workforce in the science, engineering and technology sectors in each of the last three years; and how much and what proportion of that budget he plans to allocate to such measures in each year of the Spending Review period.

David Willetts: The Research Councils, which administer the majority of this Department's science budget, pursue measures to increase diversity and equality in the science, engineering and technology sectors as part of their duties under the Equalities Act. Programme spend in this area over the last three years is outlined below.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2007/08  2008/09  2009/10 
			 Postgraduate Disabled Student 664,995 691,213 563,291 
			 Allowances
			 Daphne Jackson Trust 309,447 373,234 457,096 
			 Other RCUK-Led Activities 40,000 25,000 170,000 
		
	
	In addition, many of the initiatives funded from the Science and Society budget have diversity objectives. Funding for these initiatives over the last three years is outlined in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2008/09  2009/10  2010/11 
			 Big Bang Fair 150,000 350,000 350,000 
			 National Science and Engineering Competition 150,000 260,000 260,000 
			 National Science and Engineering Week 472,000 472,500 536,500 
			 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) 5,850,000 6,303,000 6,788,000 
			 UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology 2,538,000 2,443,000 2,469,000 
			 Women in Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) 40,000 40,000 40,000 
		
	
	Decisions on the detailed breakdown of the Science and Society allocation, and the Research Councils' spend on diversity and equality, for the next four years, are yet to be taken. Funding for the UK Resource Centre will not be renewed after March 2011.

Science: Females

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the freezing of his Department's science budget does not affect the resourcing of activity to promote equality and diversity in the science, engineering and technology sectors.

David Willetts: Detailed decisions regarding measures and funding to support equality and diversity in the science, engineering and technology sectors will be made as part of the detailed planning process, following the publication of the Science and Research funding allocations on 20 December 2010.
	We will encourage equality and diversity in the STEM workforce by embedding and mainstreaming them through a number of the programmes we fund, and those of the partners with which we work. This will build on the wider work of the government to promote inclusive workplaces. Delivery of this strategic outcome will be taken forward by a number of our delivery partners over the next Spending Review period. A broad mix of STEM activities and wider societal programmes are funded from the Science and Research allocation and these have a major impact on diversity in the STEM workforce. These include the work of STEMNET and the STEM Ambassadors to encourage a diverse STEM pipeline; the National Academies' fellowships; Research Councils' PhD and fellowships awards; and the Big Bang Fair, and National Science and Engineering Competition.

Student Loans Company: Complaints

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints on the operations of the Student Loans Company his Department has received in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: Correspondence received by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in relation to the Student Loans Company since 2005 is set out in the following table. A breakdown of these figures to show the number of complaints about the company's operations is not readily available and individual correspondence cases would need to be examined to determine this. Doing so would be a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Correspondence received by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and its predecessors in relation to the Student Loans Company (SLC) 
			   Number of cases 
			 2005 2939 
			 2006 1766 
			 2007 1953 
			 2008 2722 
			 2009 3070 
			 2010 4198 
			 Total 16648

Students: Finance

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to improve financial advice available to students  (a) before,  (b) during and  (c) immediately following higher education courses.

David Willetts: Students have access to the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) whose aim is to ensure that students have access to accurate and current information about how to manage their finances and avoid unnecessary debt.
	More broadly improving information for prospective students is a key priority for the Government. Students should have access to timely and comparable information, including on costs such as for tuition or accommodation, so they can make informed decisions about where and what to study. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is currently consulting with the sector on proposals for all higher education institutions to publish a standard Key Information Set, on a course by course basis, which will provide students with the information which research shows they want. The consultation document is available here:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2010/choices.htm
	Repayment of student loans is income contingent and graduates. Under the future progressive repayment system, graduates will not need to make any repayments until their income is above £21,000 (compared to £15,000 under the current system). If their loan is not repaid after 30 years, the remaining balance will be written off.

Students: Loans

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure prompt payment of loans to students by the Student Loans Company; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: BIS is working with and supporting the Student Loans Company (SLC) to improve the student finance service in England and ensure prompt payment to students.
	Action has been taken: to strengthen the SLC's capability (including its senior management); to improve processing applications; to put in place additional staff; and to improve training. The SLC has also made technological improvements, including data links with UCAS and the Immigration and Passport Service. This Department is working with the SLC and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to make further improvements to the way household income is validated.

Students: Loans

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Student Loans Company received in overpayments from former students who had already paid off their student loans in full in each year since 2007; and how many such persons so overpaid in each such year.

David Willetts: The requested information is not available in the form requested except at disproportionate cost.
	It is possible for borrowers to over-repay their student loans because of the loan collection process. After the end of each tax year, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) notifies the Student Loans Company (SLC) of loan deductions made by employers in the previous tax year. Due to this time lag, it is possible for people to over-repay. However, all overpayments are refunded with interest.
	Since December 2009, in order to reduce the number of those who over-repay, borrowers nearing the end of their loan repayment term are notified by the SLC that they may opt out of the PAYE system, and complete their loan repayments by direct debit. Additionally, borrowers are advised to monitor their own repayments so they can calculate when they are likely to repay their loan in full.

Tobacco: Sales

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the  (a) Reducing Regulation Committee and  (b) Regulatory Policy Committee (i) has reviewed or (ii) plans to review the evidential basis for the prohibition of the display of tobacco products.

Mark Prisk: Reducing the number of young people who start to smoke is a public health priority for the coalition Government. Legislation prohibiting the display of tobacco products is a legacy from the last Government, and as with all legacy regulations, is being reviewed by the coalition Government in light of the new system of regulatory control. This will include its review by both the Reducing Regulation Committee and the Regulatory Policy Committee, with the aim of ensuring that the health policy goal can be delivered in a way that minimises additional burdens on retailers.

White-space Devices

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has estimated the  (a) monetary cost and  (b) potential disruption to the programme-making and special events sector of the use of unlicensed white-space devices; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The following table shows monthly spend by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on consultants and temporary employees since April 2010. In producing these figures, we have used the Office for National Statistics (ONS) definition of 'temporary/casual employees' which is:
	"those who have a fixed term contract of 12 months or less or are employed on a casual basis."
	
		
			  £ 
			  2010  Spend on consultants  Spend on temporary employees 
			 April 848,310 759,051 
			 May 95,012 752,617 
			 June 197,397 750,226 
			 July 146,592 742,062 
			 August 526,577 712,312 
			 September 281,954 641,273 
			 October 609,134 631,743 
			 November 443,499 591,568

White-space Devices

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has commissioned research into the potential effects on broadcasters of the deployment of white-space devices; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom has commissioned substantial research on the likelihood of interference from white space devices, so that it can be sure its regulation prevents harmful interference to users. Ofcom will only allow use of white space devices if they do not cause harmful interference to broadcasters. We therefore anticipate that there will no effect on broadcasters, and it is not necessary to commission research on this specific area.

White-space Devices

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has considered the merits of providing a right of redress for licensed spectrum users who experience interference from white-space devices; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom will only allow the use of white space if it does not cause harmful interference. There are not, therefore, anticipated to be any specific rights of redress. Ofcom is proposing to licence exempt the white space devices. Should the white space devices deviate from the parameters set out in the exemption, Ofcom is able to bring criminal proceedings against the user of the device. However, the difficulty of locating these devices will have a significant impact on Ofcom's consideration of an investigation into interference.

HEALTH

Benzodiazepines

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the evidential basis was for the increase in his Department's maximum recommended period for withdrawal from benzodiazepines;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 1070-72W, on benzodiazepines what legislative provisions in  (a) UK and (b) EU law governed the issue of each of the generic lorazepam licences issued between 1981 and 1993;
	(3)  what the name is of each  (a) company to which each generic lorazepam licence given since 1980 was granted and  (b) product produced under each licence;
	(4)  under what legislative provision the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is authorised to destroy data for licences after 15 years; on what date the present record management policy of the MHRA was implemented; on what date the clinical data files relating to Ativan (lorazepam) were destroyed; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Drug misuse and dependence UK guidelines on clinical management produced by the four UK health departments provides guidance on the treatment of withdrawal from Benzodiazepines. These guidelines do not refer to a maximum period for withdrawal. They advise that a reduction in dose (converted to an appropriate dose of diazepam) is tapered over time with regular assessments to determine the most effective rate of this reduction based on the individual clinical needs of the patient.
	A list of granted marketing authorisations for generic Lorazepam is provided in the following table. The name of the marketing authorisation holder and the product name are provided in each case. The table also indicates the legislative provision under which each generic licence was authorised where this has been established from available records.
	At the time these Marketing Authorisations were granted the extant directive on medicinal products was Directive 65/65/EC. Applications for generic products would have been made under Article 4.8a which made provision for an abridged application, that is, an application made without supplying results of toxicological tests and clinical trials.
	An abridged application was permitted if either (i) the holder of an existing authorisation gave consent for his clinical and toxicological data to be cross-referenced or (ii) the product had well established use with recognized efficacy and an acceptable level of safety or (iii) the medicinal product was essentially similar to a product which had been authorized on the basis of full data on safety and efficacy including clinical trials. It was Article 4.8a(iii) that was most commonly used at that time for generic applications.
	The MHRA is not legally required to retain any data it receives as part of an application. Under MHRA record management policy all application files (files that are submitted by a manufacturer for the licensing of a product) and data for licences are held for 15 years. Clinical trial files are held for five years. From September 2010, the MHRA has only kept other data subject to ongoing business.
	The MHRA continuously monitors the safety of all medicines in the UK using a variety of sources including information from clinical studies, published literature, spontaneous case reports, data from marketing authorisation holders as well as other regulatory authorities. This information is used to ensure that up to date information is provided in the product information. In doing this, the MHRA does not rely on the safety information in the original application file, especially when the application is not recent.
	
		
			  Authorisation number  Authorisation holder company name  Authorisation date  Licensed product name  Legislative basis 
			 PL 00530/0080 Norton Healthcare Limited 1 April 1981 Lorazepam Tablets B.P. 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00530/0081 Norton Healthcare Limited 1 April 1981 Lorazepam Tablets B.P. 2.5MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00142/0164 Actavis UK Limited 18 November 1982 Lorazepam Tablets BP 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00142/0165 Actavis UK Limited 18 November 1982 Lorazepam Tablets BP 2.5 MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 04569/0024 Generics (UK) Limited 8 December 1982 Lorazepam Tablets BP 1 MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 04569/0025 Generics (UK) Limited 8 December 1982 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00225/0063 DDSA Pharmaceuticals Limited 4 February 1985 Lorazium Tablets 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00225/0075 DDSA Pharmaceuticals Limited 18 October 1985 Lorazium Tablets 2.5MG Abridged Application 
			 PL 04556/0019 Pharmvit Limited 8 January 1986 Lorazepam Tablets 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 04556/0020 Pharmvit Limited 8 January 1986 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 04416/0016 Sandoz Limited 11 January 1987 Sedazin Tablets 1MG Cross Referred to PL 00530/0080 
			 PL 04416/0017 Sandoz Limited 11 January 1987 Sedazin Tablets 2.5MG Cross Referred to PL 00530/0081 
			 PL 04416/0094 Sandoz Limited 23 March 1987 Lorazepam 1 MG. Tablets Abridged Application 
			 PL 04416/0095 Sandoz Limited 23 March 1987 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5MG Abridged Application 
			 PL 00095/0126 Cyanamid of Great Britain Limited 6 March 1991 Lorazepam Tablets 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00095/0127 Cyanamid of Great Britain Limited 6 March 1991 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00401/0050 M A Steinhard Limited 22 March 1991 Almazine Lorazepam Tablets 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00401/0051 M A Steinhard Limited 22 March 1991 Almazine Lorazepam Tablets Not confirmed 
			 PL 00039/0182 UCB Pharma Limited 11 July 1991 Tablets Lorazepam 1MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 00152/0224 BERK Pharmaceuticals Limited 11 July 1991 Lorazepam Tablets 1MG Cross Referred to PL 00530/0080 
			 PL 00152/0225 BERK Pharmaceuticals Limited 11 July 1991 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5MG Cross Referred to PL 00530/0081 
			 PL 00037/0180 Abbott Laboratories Limited 11 July 1991 Lorazepam 1MG Tablets BP Not confirmed 
			 PL 00037/0181 Abbott Laboratories Limited 15 September 1991 Lorazepam 2.5MG Tablets BP Not confirmed 
			 PL 00039/0183 UCB Pharma Limited 31 March 1992 Tablets Lorazepam 2.5MG Not confirmed 
			 PL 04077/0124 M and A Pharmachem Limited 23 August 1993 Lorazepam Tablets 1MG. Abridged Application 
			 PL 04077/0125 M and A Pharmachem Limited 23 August 1993 Lorazepam Tablets 2.5 MG Abridged Application 
			 PL 17521/0060 Metwest Pharmaceuticals Limited 19 July 2002 Lorazepam 1MG Tablets Cross Referred to PL 00225/0063 
			 PL 17521/0061 Metwest Pharmaceuticals Limited 19 July 2002 Lorazepam 2.5mg Tablets Cross Referred to PL 00225/0075

Cancer: Drugs

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate the Department has made of the number of patients in  (a) England and  (b) Liverpool with rare forms of cancer who will receive funding for treatment from (i) the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund and (ii) the Cancer Drugs Fund to 2013;
	(2)  how many patients with rare forms of cancer in  (a) Liverpool, Wavertree constituency and  (b) England have received treatment as a result of funding from the Interim Cancer Drugs Fund.
	(3)  if he will encourage clinical panels to develop specific policies for the funding of treatments for very rare cancers from the Cancer Drugs Fund in respect of  (a) England and  (b) Liverpool.

Simon Burns: We have made no such estimate and do not hold information on the number of patients with rare forms of cancer who have received treatment through the additional cancer drugs funding in the Liverpool Wavertree constituency and in England.
	As of 15 November, funding from the additional £50 million made available in this financial year had been agreed for the treatment of more than 250 cancer patients in England. These decisions are being made by regional clinically-led panels, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Department to strategic health authorities in July, copies of which have already been placed in the Library.
	We have published for consultation our proposals for arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund which will operate from April 2011 in 'The Cancer Drugs Fund: A Consultation'. We want health professionals, patients, carers, the pharmaceutical industry and the public to give us their comments on these proposals. This consultation document is available in the Library.

Care Quality Commission

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on arrangements for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to register dental practices in England from 1 April 2011; what estimate he has made of the average time it will take each practice to comply with the regulatory framework for professional dentistry proposed by the CQC; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: As of 15 December, 164 pieces of correspondence had been received by the Department. These include a letter from the British Dental Association (BDA) and correspondence from individual dentists, including postcards sent as part of the BDA postcard campaign.
	In October 2009, the Department undertook and published an impact assessment of regulation of primary medical and dental care providers under the Health and Social Care Act (2008). The impact assessment considered the cost and benefits of registering primary care providers.
	Care Quality Commission (CQC) has already started receiving completed applications for registration from primary dental care providers.
	It is expected that most primary dental care providers who already provide a good quality service for patients will already be meeting the essential levels of safety and quality set out in the registration requirements.
	Once registered, CQC will review the performance of providers at least once every two years, to provide assurance that they are continuing to comply with the registration requirements. Providers could be checked at more frequent intervals if there are concerns about the service or if it is assessed to be of a higher risk.
	To keep the burden of registration on providers to a minimum, CQC is committed to using information that is held centrally or is already held by other bodies where possible.

Consumer Organisations

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which consumer groups he has met since his appointment;
	(2)  which  (a) food and food-related companies and  (b) trade associations he has met since his appointment.

Anne Milton: In discharging his official duties the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), meets with representatives from such organisations in a wide range of fora, including speaking engagements, conferences and seminars.
	The Secretary of State for Health has held no individual meetings with consumer groups or trade associations, although he has met a range of such organisations at multi-stakeholder meetings. He has held one individual meeting with a food company, Unilever.

Departmental Press Releases

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions his Department has provided embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010; in respect of how many such briefings his Department was informed that the embargo had been breached; what steps were taken as a result of each such breach; and on how many occasions his Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

Simon Burns: The Department has held two embargoed media briefings prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.
	The Department was not informed that the embargo had been breached on either occasion.
	There have been no occasions on which the Department has provided media briefings without an embargo prior to an oral statement to the House since 26 May 2010.

Departmental Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have taken to comply with the Guidance of the Office of Government Commerce on promoting skills through public procurement issued in 2009.

Simon Burns: The Department is aware of this guidance and, where appropriate, incorporates elements of the guidance within tender and contract documentation, providing it offers value for money and does not affect the competitive process.
	The Department's Executive Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is not aware of any steps taken to comply with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) guidance on promoting skills through public procurement.
	The Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) do not undertake procurements of the size, scale and nature which readily enable many of the steps set out in the OGC guidance on promoting skills through public procurement, however, the Department, its agencies and NDPBs are all fully engaged on measures to ensure and promote opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises as set out in the guidance.

EllaOne

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to doctors on the abortifacient nature of ellaOne; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Ellaone contains ulipristal acetate, a selective progesterone receptor modulator. Ellaone was licensed for use as a single dose of 30mg as an emergency contraceptive by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human use (CHMP) in May 2009. It is used to prevent pregnancy for up to five days after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure, mainly by preventing or delaying ovulation. Ellaone is contraindicated for use during an existing or suspected pregnancy.
	In the United Kingdom, ellaOne is licensed as a prescription only medicine. Full information relating to the safe and appropriate use of a medicine is provided to health care professionals in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and to women in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). The SmPC and PIL for ellaOne clearly inform women and health care professionals that it should not be taken by a woman who knows she is pregnant and that a pregnancy test should be undertaken if she suspects she is pregnant. The SmPC and PIL also provide information on the known side effects for ellaOne, most common of which are headache, nausea, menstrual disorders, and abdominal pain.
	There is no published experience of pregnancy termination with ellaOne and in clinical studies a 30mg dose of ulipristal acetate did not interrupt existing pregnancies. Nevertheless, CHMP considered that such an effect could not be excluded and that ellaOne could potentially be used "off-label" in an attempt to terminate pregnancy. On this basis, no information on the potential use of ulipristal as an abortifacient has been included in the information provided for doctors and women. However, the publicly available risk management plan for ellaOne includes a number of measures taken to minimise the potential risk of off-label use, including a post marketing study to monitor how Ellaone is being used in real-life.
	When used in accordance with the product information ellaOne is a safe and effective option for emergency contraception. As with all marketed medicines used in the UK, the safety of ellaOne is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines. In the event of any important new safety information emerging, the MHRA will take action to ensure that this is accurately reflected in the product information and communicated to health professionals and women.

EllaOne: Prescriptions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for the drug ellaOne were issued in each health authority area in each year since it was licensed; what conditions apply to the availability of ellaOne in pharmacies; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Information on the number of prescription items prescribed and dispensed since ellaOne was launched in October 2009, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Prescription items for e llaOne prescribed in England and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom, October 2009 to October 2010, by strategic health authority (SHA) 
			  SHA  Number of items 
			 East midlands 214 
			 East of England 217 
			 London 338 
			 North-east 109 
			 North-west 193 
			 South central 211 
			 South-east coast 244 
			 South-west 297 
			 West midlands 213 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 293 
			 Unidentified prescribing 12 
			 Grand total 2,341 
			  Notes: 1. EllaOne was licensed for use in the UK in May 2009 and launched in October 2009. 2. 'Unidentified prescribing' is prescribing which cannot be attributed to an SHA.  Source: Prescribing Analysis and CosT tool (PACT) system. 
		
	
	In the UK ellaOne is licensed as a prescription only medicine. Under medicines legislation, prescription only medicines may generally only be sold or supplied by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist on registered pharmacy premises against a national health service or private prescription written by an independent prescriber. These legal restrictions apply equally to the sale, supply and advertising of medicines via the internet.

Health Professions

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the effects on the provision of health and social care professionals with postgraduate qualifications of implementation of the Government's proposals on student funding; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Government's proposals to change funding arrangements in higher education relate to students in under-graduate education. The current arrangements for funding postgraduate education will continue.
	The Secretary of State for Health has had discussions with the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), about the proposed changes to the funding arrangements for undergraduate education and we are keen to ensure there will be no adverse impact on the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals.

Health Professions: Higher Education

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the effects of the Government's proposals for funding of higher education on the future supply of health professionals requiring a postgraduate qualification; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Government's proposals to change funding arrangements in higher education relate to students in under-graduate education. The current arrangements for funding postgraduate education will continue.
	The Secretary of State for Health has had discussions with the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), about the proposed changes to the funding arrangements for undergraduate education and we are keen to work together to understand the impact and ensure there will be no adverse impact on the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals.

Health Services: Dudley

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will estimate the level of savings which will accrue from reductions in NHS administration costs in the metropolitan borough of Dudley during the comprehensive spending review period;
	(2)  what plans he has for the use of funds saved through the reduction of NHS administration costs in the metropolitan borough of Dudley.

Simon Burns: The spending review announced that the costs of administration across the health system will be reduced by one third in real terms by 2014-15, delivering a recurrent annual saving of £1.9 billion. This includes savings from significantly reducing the number and cost of our non-departmental public bodies and from reforming and reducing the costs of administration in the national health service, including through the proposed abolition of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.
	It is the responsibility of the NHS locally to determine how to deliver these savings.
	All these savings, along with all other efficiency savings, will be re-invested in services for patients. It will be the responsibility of local commissioners to determine, within their overall budgets, how best these savings can be invested in order to meet the needs of, and improve outcomes for, their local populations.

Health Services: Wales

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on cross-border healthcare.

Anne Milton: The Secretary of State met with Edwina Hart AM, the Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Assembly Government, in Cardiff on 1 December to discuss a range of issues including cross-border healthcare.

HIV Infection: Grants

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the  (a) AIDS Support Grant and  (b) HIV Capital Grant will be distributed.

Anne Milton: In order to support local flexibility and to reduce administrative burdens, the 2010 spending review settlement announced that all current Department of Health social care revenue grants, including the AIDS support grant, will roll into the revenue support grant issued by Department for Communities and Local Government from 2011-12. The revenue support grant is not ring-fenced and councils can spend it as they choose. As part of rolling the AIDS support grant into revenue support grant, the Department considered responses to its summer consultation on the future distribution of three social care grants including the AIDS support grant. Details of the consultation exercise are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Responsestoconsultations/DH_122575
	The allocation basis for the AIDS support funding within revenue support grant will remain case load based, using 2008 data from the Health Protection Agency, for both 2011-12 and 2012-13 allocations. This option minimises the change in funding for local authorities and ensures that the funding is distributed to those areas with the greatest demand for HIV/AIDS services. Details of the allocation of the revenue support grant, including HIV/AIDS allocations are available at:
	www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/lgfr1112/index.htm
	From 2011-12 the HIV capital grant will no longer be a specific capital grant. In 2010-11 the Department of Health issued seven separate capital grants. The Department of Health is maintaining capital funding at 2010-11 levels but will issue only one capital grant in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the capital investment in community capacity grant. The grant is not ring-fenced but is designed to support the three key areas of personalisation, reform and efficiency. This funding will enable continued capital investment to support delivery of adult social care services, including HIV/AIDS services. The capital investment in community capacity grant is distributed using the total adults social care relative needs formula. Details of the capital grant including local authority allocations of this grant are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Localauthoritysocialservicesletters/DH_122345

HIV Infection: Respite Care

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support his Department provides to non-medical HIV respite centres.

Anne Milton: The provision of non-medical HIV respite care is supported by the local authority AIDS support grant, which is £25.5 million in 2010-11.

HIV Infection: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on cross-border delivery of support for those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.

Anne Milton: The Secretary of State for Health and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers have had no discussions on cross-border delivery of support for those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. However, departmental officials continue to be in routine contact with Welsh Assembly Government officials on this issue.

HIV Infection: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients resident in England are being treated for AIDS and HIV at respite centres in Wales.

Anne Milton: In 2009, 60,240 people were living with diagnosed HIV infection and resident in England. Of these, 22 accessed HIV care in Wales, of whom 19 were receiving anti-retroviral therapy.

Hospitals: Admissions

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to hospital occurred as a consequence or suspected consequence of alcohol consumption in each primary care trust area in each year since 2008-09.

Anne Milton: The information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Estimate of alcohol-related admissions by primary care trust (PCT) of residence for 2008-09 and 2009-10 
			   2009-10  2008-09 
			  PCT of residence  Estimate of alcohol-related admissions  Percentage of finished admissions  Estimate of alcohol-related admissions  Percentage of finished admissions 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 9,311 10 8,279 9 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 3,284 8 3,016 7 
			 Barnet PCT 5,393 6 4,419 5 
			 Barnsley PCT 5,886 7 5,270 7 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 2,722 9 2,343 8 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 3,023 7 2,980 8 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 7,025 7 6,355 7 
			 Berkshire East PCT 5,829 6 5,328 6 
			 Berkshire West PCT 5,113 5 5,116 5 
			 Bexley Care Trust 3,429 5 2,388 4 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 7,959 6 7,154 6 
			 Blackburn With Darwen PCT 4,078 9 2,911 7 
			 Blackpool PCT 4,134 8 3,485 6 
			 Bolton PCT 5,562 7 5,275 7 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 6,789 6 5,299 5 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 10,936 7 10,022 7 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 4,799 7 4,203 6 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 5,030 8 5,151 8 
			 Bristol PCT 10,244 8 9,667 8 
			 Bromley PCT 5,369 6 5,303 6 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 6,369 5 5,363 5 
			 Bury PCT 4,371 8 4,103 7 
			 Calderdale PCT 4,414 7 3,622 7 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 12,605 8 11,353 8 
			 Camden PCT 3,499 7 3,019 6 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 9,790 8 8,877 7 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 12,554 8 11,467 8 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 3,579 6 2,883 5 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 11,921 7 10,649 7 
			 County Durham PCT 13,934 9 13,051 8 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 7,181 8 6,229 8 
			 Croydon PCT 6,072 7 5,471 6 
			 Cumbria Teaching PCT 12,276 8 11,388 7 
			 Darlington PCT 2,532 8 2,463 8 
			 Derby City PCT 6,579 9 6,580 9 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 16,488 8 15,344 8 
			 Devon PCT 14,748 7 14,083 6 
			 Doncaster PCT 6,835 8 6,091 7 
			 Dorset PCT 8,162 6 6,998 5 
			 Dudley PCT 7,756 8 7,042 7 
			 Ealing PCT 6,670 8 6,384 7 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 7,614 6 5,800 5 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 10,632 9 8,040 7 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 6,088 6 5,209 6 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 6,732 8 6,736 7 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 14,666 8 13,338 7 
			 Enfield PCT 4,893 6 4,106 5 
			 Gateshead PCT 5,706 11 5,670 11 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 12,138 7 10,937 7 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 5,281 9 4,687 8 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 3,259 5 2,811 5 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT 8,379 9 7,893 8 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 3,154 7 2,916 7 
			 Hampshire PCT 20,140 6 18,368 6 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 3,858 7 3,172 6 
			 Harrow PCT 3,545 6 3,161 6 
			 Hartlepool PCT 2,673 9 2,279 8 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 3,513 7 3,534 7 
			 Havering PCT 4,549 8 4,089 7 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 6,510 8 5,971 8 
			 Herefordshire PCT 3,404 7 3,055 7 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 6,163 9 5,682 8 
			 Hillingdon PCT 5,404 8 4,842 7 
			 Hounslow PCT 4,516 8 4,163 7 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 5,637 7 4,840 6 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 1,569 6 1,429 5 
			 Islington PCT 3,714 7 3,073 6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 2,246 6 1,993 6 
			 Kingston PCT 2,353 7 1,863 6 
			 Kirklees PCT 6,933 6 5,840 6 
			 Knowsley PCT 4,536 9 4,171 8 
			 Lambeth PCT 3,832 6 3,313 5 
			 Leeds PCT 14,851 7 12,821 6 
			 Leicester City PCT 6,801 7 6,525 7 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 11,914 7 10,969 6 
			 Lewisham PCT 4,112 5 3,999 5 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 13,767 7 12,120 6 
			 Liverpool PCT 14,309 10 13,061 9 
			 Luton PCT 3,840 7 3,595 7 
			 Manchester PCT 12,114 9 10,509 8 
			 Medway PCT 4,427 7 3,985 7 
			 Mid Essex PCT 5,811 6 4,934 5 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 4,497 10 3,858 8 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 4,574 7 3,316 5 
			 Newcastle PCT 7,622 9 7,927 9 
			 Newham PCT 4,636 6 3,956 5 
			 Norfolk PCT 15,354 7 14,080 7 
			 North East Essex PCT 5,124 7 3,952 6 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 3,790 8 2,885 6 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 7,468 7 6,858 7 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 3,724 8 2,986 6 
			 North Somerset PCT 4,644 8 4,579 8 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 4,165 7 4,191 7 
			 North Tyneside PCT 6,302 9 5,732 8 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 14,813 7 12,671 6 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 12,596 7 10,553 6 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 8,236 8 7,491 8 
			 Nottingham City PCT 6,118 8 5,477 7 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 13,879 7 12,155 7 
			 Oldham PCT 5,155 8 4,557 7 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 7,881 6 7,132 5 
			 Peterborough PCT 3,999 8 3,502 8 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 6,266 9 5,438 8 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 4,205 8 3,914 8 
			 Redbridge PCT 4,461 7 3,899 7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 4,151 9 3,551 8 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 2,556 7 2,224 6 
			 Rotherham PCT 5,661 6 4,985 6 
			 Salford PCT 7,230 9 6,147 8 
			 Sandwell PCT 8,552 9 6,962 7 
			 Sefton PCT 7,883 9 6,699 8 
			 Sheffield PCT 10,011 6 8,880 6 
			 Shropshire County PCT 4,428 6 4,617 6 
			 Solihull Care Trust 3,605 6 3,168 6 
			 Somerset PCT 9,887 7 9,279 6 
			 South Birmingham PCT 6,840 8 6,447 8 
			 South East Essex PCT 7,853 9 6,930 8 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 5,222 8 4,781 7 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 11,657 7 10,491 6 
			 South Tyneside PCT 4,611 9 3,961 8 
			 South West Essex PCT 6,203 6 5,495 6 
			 Southampton City PCT 3,546 6 3,265 5 
			 Southwark PCT 3,710 5 3,262 5 
			 Stockport PCT 6,649 8 5,780 7 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Teaching PCT 4,959 8 4,390 8 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 5,856 7 5,785 8 
			 Suffolk PCT 12,108 8 8,982 6 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 8,352 9 7,589 8 
			 Surrey PCT 18,898 7 16,055 7 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 6,136 7 5,051 6 
			 Swindon PCT 3,551 7 3,060 6 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 6,602 9 6,001 8 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 2,460 6 2,594 6 
			 Torbay Care Trust 3,430 9 3,342 8 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 2,996 6 2,333 5 
			 Trafford PCT 4,734 7 4,237 7 
			 Wakefield District PCT 6,167 7 5,239 6 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 6,304 9 5,855 8 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 4,487 7 3,447 6 
			 Wandsworth PCT 3,882 6 3,375 6 
			 Warrington PCT 5,348 9 4,615 8 
			 Warwickshire PCT 10,493 8 9,352 7 
			 West Essex PCT 5,298 7 4,935 7 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 8,313 6 7,041 5 
			 West Kent PCT 10,416 7 9,019 6 
			 West Sussex PCT 15,161 8 14,001 7 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 5,470 7 4,870 7 
			 Westminster PCT 3,549 7 2,909 6 
			 Wiltshire PCT 7,970 7 7,446 7 
			 Wirral PCT 8,708 9 8,688 9 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 4,839 7 4,628 6 
			 Worcestershire PCT 11,494 8 11,024 8 
			 Unknown 9,386 5 9,660 4 
			 Residents of England 1,056,962 7 945,470 7 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Count of wholly attributable alcohol admissions by PCT of residence for 2008-09 and 2009-10 
			   2009-10  2008-09 
			  PCT of residence  Count of wholly attributable alcohol admissions  Percentage of finished admissions  Count of wholly attributable alcohol admissions  Percentage of finished admissions 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 2,652 3 2,355 2 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 718 2 635 1 
			 Barnet PCT 960 1 772 1 
			 Barnsley PCT 1,213 2 1,047 1 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 626 2 521 2 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 714 2 784 2 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 1,322 1 1,201 1 
			 Berkshire East PCT 1,168 1 1,154 1 
			 Berkshire West PCT 1,028 1 1,070 1 
			 Bexley Care Trust 667 1 461 1 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 2,107 2 1,980 2 
			 Blackburn With Darwen PCT 1,403 3 1,025 2 
			 Blackpool PCT 1,475 3 1,252 2 
			 Bolton PCT 1,595 2 1,500 2 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 1,888 2 1,457 1 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 3,015 2 2,791 2 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 1,158 2 980 1 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 2,083 3 2,291 4 
			 Bristol PCT 3,254 3 2,971 2 
			 Bromley PCT 1,048 1 1,058 1 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 945 1 797 1 
			 Bury PCT 1,062 2 1,159 2 
			 Calderdale PCT 1,240 2 988 2 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 2,690 2 2,415 2 
			 Camden PCT 1,215 2 1,215 3 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 2,604 2 2,369 2 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 3,328 2 2,910 2 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 1,254 2 966 2 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 2,664 2 2,552 2 
			 County Durham PCT 3,677 2 3,334 2 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 2,101 2 2,013 2 
			 Croydon PCT 1,364 2 1,180 1 
			 Cumbria Teaching PCT 2,757 2 2,555 2 
			 Darlington PCT 680 2 641 2 
			 Derby City PCT 1,813 2 1,883 3 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 3,457 2 3,203 2 
			 Devon PCT 3,372 2 3,149 1 
			 Doncaster PCT 1,326 2 1,212 1 
			 Dorset PCT 1,486 1 1,346 1 
			 Dudley PCT 1,518 2 1,195 1 
			 Ealing PCT 1,715 2 1,621 2 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 1,151 1 987 1 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 2,897 2 2,160 2 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 1,180 1 975 1 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 1,309 1 1,249 1 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 2,725 2 2,594 1 
			 Enfield PCT 753 1 620 1 
			 Gateshead PCT 1,966 4 1,968 4 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 2,250 1 1,900 1 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 1,015 2 908 2 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 836 1 776 1 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT 2,938 3 2,823 3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1,179 3 1,089 3 
			 Hampshire PCT 4,110 1 3,844 1 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 947 2 831 1 
			 Harrow PCT 593 1 537 1 
			 Hartlepool PCT 708 2 572 2 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 956 2 936 2 
			 Havering PCT 682 1 564 1 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 2,083 3 1,951 3 
			 Herefordshire PCT 597 1 568 1 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,812 3 1,723 3 
			 Hillingdon PCT 1,224 2 1,029 1 
			 Hounslow PCT 1,287 2 1,172 2 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 1,930 2 1,539 2 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 432 2 365 1 
			 Islington PCT 1,184 2 987 2 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 701 2 650 2 
			 Kingston PCT 539 2 437 1 
			 Kirklees PCT 1,775 2 1,540 1 
			 Knowsley PCT 1,586 3 1,518 3 
			 Lambeth PCT 1,351 2 1,227 2 
			 Leeds PCT 4,883 2 4,300 2 
			 Leicester City PCT 2,319 2 2,267 2 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 2,469 1 2,203 1 
			 Lewisham PCT 1,130 1 1,154 2 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 2,432 1 2,052 1 
			 Liverpool PCT 5,645 4 5,276 4 
			 Luton PCT 848 2 765 1 
			 Manchester PCT 4,701 3 3,886 3 
			 Medway PCT 898 1 867 2 
			 Mid Essex PCT 833 1 794 1 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 1,537 3 1,334 3 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 1,020 2 703 1 
			 Newcastle PCT 2,105 3 2,309 3 
			 Newham PCT 1,133 1 970 1 
			 Norfolk PCT 2,530 1 2,350 1 
			 North East Essex PCT 989 1 671 1 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 685 2 458 1 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,806 2 1,690 2 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 592 1 492 1 
			 North Somerset PCT 1,088 2 986 2 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 897 1 832 1 
			 North Tyneside PCT 1,703 2 1,496 2 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 3,123 1 2,809 1 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 2,552 1 2,324 1 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 1,875 2 1,745 2 
			 Nottingham City PCT 2,077 3 1,832 2 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 2,913 2 2,535 1 
			 Oldham PCT 1,405 2 1,316 2 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 2,061 1 1,786 1 
			 Peterborough PCT 988 2 806 2 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 1,626 2 1,189 2 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 1,594 3 1,365 3 
			 Redbridge PCT 900 1 863 1 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 1,073 2 964 2 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 644 2 515 1 
			 Rotherham PCT 1,207 1 1,185 1 
			 Salford PCT 2,746 4 2,244 3 
			 Sandwell PCT 2,206 2 1,631 2 
			 Sefton PCT 2,399 3 1,929 2 
			 Sheffield PCT 2,799 2 2,412 2 
			 Shropshire County PCT 867 1 922 1 
			 Solihull Care Trust 912 2 818 2 
			 Somerset PCT 1,709 1 1,758 1 
			 South Birmingham PCT 2,046 2 1,921 2 
			 South East Essex PCT 1,169 1 985 1 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 1,002 1 917 1 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 2,204 1 1,832 1 
			 South Tyneside PCT 1,284 2 1,056 2 
			 South West Essex PCT 849 1 802 1 
			 Southampton City PCT 1,143 2 1,057 2 
			 Southwark PCT 1,208 2 1,150 2 
			 Stockport PCT 2,135 3 1,828 2 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Teaching PCT 1,294 2 1,059 2 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 1,651 2 1,409 2 
			 Suffolk PCT 2,117 1 1,643 1 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 2,838 3 2,514 3 
			 Surrey PCT 3,417 1 2,821 1 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,520 2 1,179 1 
			 Swindon PCT 869 2 781 1 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 2,118 3 1,781 3 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 683 2 707 2 
			 Torbay Care Trust 1,014 3 1,048 3 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 890 2 729 2 
			 Trafford PCT 1,273 2 1,149 2 
			 Wakefield District PCT 1,839 2 1,440 2 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 1,417 2 1,281 2 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 1,022 2 900 2 
			 Wandsworth PCT 1,218 2 940 2 
			 Warrington PCT 1,744 3 1,426 3 
			 Warwickshire PCT 2,169 2 1,990 1 
			 West Essex PCT 877 1 898 1 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,468 1 1,358 1 
			 West Kent PCT 2,186 1 1,748 1 
			 West Sussex PCT 3,064 2 2,935 1 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 1,394 2 1,158 2 
			 Westminster PCT 1,204 2 932 2 
			 Wiltshire PCT 1,508 1 1,479 1 
			 Wirral PCT 3,460 3 3,431 3 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 1,029 1 925 1 
			 Worcestershire PCT 2,651 2 2,570 2 
			 Unknown 7,295 4 7,191 3 
			 Residents of England 265,246 2 237,820 2 
			  Notes: 1. PCT figures are rounded and do not necessarily sum to the independently rounded national figure. 2.  Estimate of alcohol-related admissions: The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), which uses 48 indicators for alcohol-related illnesses, determining the proportion of a wide range of diseases and injuries that can be partly attributed to alcohol as well as those that are, by definition, wholly attributable to alcohol. The application of the NWPHO methodology was updated in summer 2010 and is now available directly from HES. As such, information about episodes estimated to be alcohol related may be slightly different from previously published data. 3.  Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 4.  SHA/PCT of residence: The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Kidneys: Dialysis Machines

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms will be in place to ensure that kidney dialysis patients  (a) receive their choice of treatment at the hospital they have selected and  (b) receive their choice of treatment within an appropriate period of time.

Simon Burns: We are committed to extending choice for all national health service patients and service users, including those who need dialysis treatment. We are currently consulting on proposals for giving all patients and service users greater choice and control over their care and we will publish our response along with more detailed policy proposals early next year.
	For all patients with established renal failure, fully informed choice of all appropriate treatment modalities, together with timely preparation, should be the rule rather than the exception. This should include options for dialysis at home, as well as transplantation, or conservative management.
	Dialysis services in Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

Nervous System: Stem Cells

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the use of stem cells to repair injury in the central nervous system; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research, funds 12 Biomedical Research Centres and 16 Biomedical Research Units. These are currently undertaking a number of research projects on stem cells but none specifically on the use of stem cells to repair injury in the central nervous system.

Older People: Weather

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of elderly people who fall ill or die because of cold weather.

Anne Milton: Action aimed at tackling winter illness and deaths in the elderly include winter fuel payments and influenza vaccinations. The Government have also launched their annual Keep Warm Keep Well Campaign for 2010-11 which provides advice on staying warm over the winter and staying in touch with people who may be vulnerable during cold weather, including the elderly, in order to reduce illness and deaths. As part of our further work we are working with the Met Office and public health champions in a number of regions to improve the way we communicate with people in local settings to accurately predict cold weather and provide an appropriate and effective response.

Prescriptions

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued for each  (a) benzodiazepine and  (b) Z-drug in 2009-10.

Simon Burns: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in the financial year 2009-10, as classified as hypnotics and anxiolytics in British National Formulary (BNF) Section 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 
			  BNF chemical name  Prescription items (thousand) 
			 Alprazolam (1)- 
			 Chlordiazepoxide Hydrochloride 232.6 
			 Diazepam 5,051.7 
			 Flurazepam Hydrochloride (1)- 
			 Loprazolam Mesilate 94.8 
			 Lorazepam 942.0 
			 Lormetazepam 69.4 
			 Nitrazepam 1,086.1 
			 Oxazepam 170.1 
			 Temazepam 2,934.8 
			 Total for BNF Section 4.1 10,581.4 
			 (1) less than 50 prescription items dispensed.  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the UK and dispensed in the community in England in the financial year 2009-10, as classified as antiepileptic drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.8.1 and 8.8.2 
			  BNF chemical name  Prescriptions items (thousand) 
			 Clobazam 176.5 
			 Clonazepam 589.2 
			 Midazolam 29.9 
			 Total for BNF Section 4.8 795.7 
			  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of benzodiazepine prescription items written in the UK and dispensed in the community in England in the financial year 2009-10, as classified as anaesthesia drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 15.1.4 
			  BNF chemical name  Prescription items (thousand) 
			 Midazolam Hydrochloride 71.6 
			 Total for BNF Section 15.1 71.6 
			 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Number of 'Z-drug' prescription items written in the UK and dispensed in the community in England in the financial year 2009-10, as classified as hypnotics drugs in British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.1.1 
			  BNF chemical name  Prescription items (thousand) 
			 Zaleplon 26.6 
			 Zolpidem Tartrate 717.0 
			 Zopiclone 5,072.0 
			 Total for 'Z-drugs' 5,815.6 
			  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system

Primary Care Trusts: Prisoners

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 December 2010,  Official Report, column 722W, on drugs: prisons, how many prisoners received the treatment in each  (a) primary care trust and  (b) prison in each of the last three financial years.

Paul Burstow: Data on the number of prisoners receiving integrated drug treatment systems services (IDTS) in each primary care trust are not collected by the Department.
	Some data are held centrally in respect of IDTS services delivered in individual prisons and, where this is available, are shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Integrated Drug Treatment Systems provision in National Offender Management Service (NOMS) operated Prisons in England, 2007-10 
			  Year 2007-08 
			  Establishment name  Detox programmes  Extended prescribing programmes  Total 2007-08 
			 Acklington - - 0 
			 Albany - - 0 
			 Altcourse 861 0 861 
			 Ashfield 46 9 55 
			 Ashwell - - 0 
			 Askham Grange - - 0 
			 Aylesbury 10 0 10 
			 Bedford 594 0 594 
			 Belmarsh 776 90 866 
			 Birmingham 4,359 170 4,529 
			 Blakenhurst 1,829 87 1,916 
			 Blantyre House - - 0 
			 Blundeston - - 0 
			 Brinsford 240 124 364 
			 Bristol 1,033 337 1,370 
			 Brixton 1,570 307 1,877 
			 Brockhill - - 0 
			 Bronzefield 1,168 0 1,168 
			 Buckley Hall - - - 
			 Bullingdon 466 492 958 
			 Bullwood Hall - - - 
			 Camp Hill - - - 
			 Canterbury - - - 
			 Cardiff 737 104 841 
			 Castington 50 0 50 
			 Channings Wood - - - 
			 Chelmsford 745 0 745 
			 Coldingley 0 5 5 
			 Cookham Wood 0 2 2 
			 Dartmoor - - - 
			 Deerbolt - - - 
			 Doncaster 1,727 0 1,727 
			 Dorchester 371 203 574 
			 Dovegate - - - 
			 Dover - - - 
			 Downview - - - 
			 Drake Hall - - - 
			 Durham 891 1,251 2,142 
			 East Sutton Park - - - 
			 Eastwood Park 1,162 342 1,504 
			 Edmunds Hill - - - 
			 Elmley 843 408 1,251 
			 Erlestoke - - - 
			 Everthorpe - - - 
			 Exeter 854 23 877 
			 Featherstone - - - 
			 Feltham 250 8 258 
			 Ford - - - 
			 Forest Bank 898 16 914 
			 Foston Hall 450 446 896 
			 Frankland - - - 
			 Full Sutton - - - 
			 Garth - - - 
			 Gartree - - - 
			 Glen Parva 420 37 457 
			 Gloucester 624 302 926 
			 Grendon - - - 
			 Guys Marsh - - - 
			 Haslar - - - 
			 Haverigg - - - 
			 Hewell Grange - - - 
			 High Down 808 384 1,192 
			 Highpoint - - - 
			 Hindley - - - 
			 Hollesley Bay - - - 
			 Holloway 1,131 0 1,131 
			 Holme House 1,120 502 1,622 
			 Hull 1,113 158 1,271 
			 Huntercombe - - - 
			 Kennet - - - 
			 Kingston - - - 
			 Kirkham - - - 
			 Kirklevington - - - 
			 Lancaster - - - 
			 Lancaster Farms - - - 
			 Latchmere House - - - 
			 Leeds 1,115 2,447 3,562 
			 Leicester 943 0 943 
			 Lewes 582 127 709 
			 Leyhill - - - 
			 Lincoln 1,279 261 1,540 
			 Lindholme - - - 
			 Littlehey - - - 
			 Liverpool 1,160 360 1,520 
			 Long Lartin - - - 
			 Low Newton 131 224 355 
			 Lowdham Grange 171 45 216 
			 Maidstone - - - 
			 Manchester 1,242 110 1,352 
			 Moorland - - - 
			 Morton Hall - - - 
			 Mount - - - 
			 New Hall 1,217 532 1,749 
			 North Sea Camp - - - 
			 Northallerton - - - 
			 Norwich 695 37 732 
			 Nottingham 855 247 1,102 
			 Onley - - - 
			 Parc 324 40 364 
			 Parkhurst 70 11 81 
			 Pentonville 1,562 204 1,766 
			 Peterborough - - - 
			 Portland - - - 
			 Preston 1,280 0 1,280 
			 Ranby - - - 
			 Reading 73 23 96 
			 Risley - - - 
			 Rochester - - - 
			 Rye Hill - - - 
			 Send - - - 
			 Shepton Mallet - - - 
			 Shrewsbury 825 10 835 
			 Stafford 71 24 95 
			 Standford Hill 5 8 13 
			 Stocken - - - 
			 Stoke Heath 50 0 50 
			 Styal 199 930 1,129 
			 Sudbury 0 1 1 
			 Swaleside 56 7 63 
			 Swansea 622 184 806 
			 Swinfen Hall - - - 
			 Thorn Cross - - - 
			 Usk Prescoed - - - 
			 Verne - - - 
			 Wakefield - - - 
			 Wandsworth 1,282 818 2,100 
			 Warren Hill - - - 
			 Wayland - - - 
			 Wealstun - - - 
			 Wellingborough - - - 
			 Werrington - - - 
			 Wetherby 31 0 31 
			 Whatton - - - 
			 Whitemoor - - - 
			 Winchester 604 14 618 
			 Wolds - - - 
			 Woodhill 1,231 0 1,231 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,470 47 1,517 
			 Wymott - - - 
			 Total 46,291 12,518 58,809 
		
	
	
		
			  2008-09 
			  Establishment name  Detox programmes  Extended prescribing programmes  Total 2008-09 
			 Acklington - - - 
			 Albany - - - 
			 Altcourse 561 0 561 
			 Ashfield 22 0 22 
			 Ashwell - - 0 
			 Askham Grange - - 0 
			 Aylesbury 10 0 10 
			 Bedford 787 0 787 
			 Belmarsh 1,909 676 2,585 
			 Birmingham 3,883 796 4,679 
			 Blantyre House - - - 
			 Blundeston - - - 
			 Brinsford 215 237 452 
			 Bristol 1,110 874 1,984 
			 Brixton 1,801 988 2,789 
			 Bronzefield 1,301 0 1,301 
			 Buckley Hall - - - 
			 Bullingdon 566 606 1,172 
			 Bullwood Hall - - - 
			 Camp Hill - - - 
			 Canterbury - - - 
			 Cardiff 828 0 828 
			 Castington 30 0 30 
			 Channings Wood - - - 
			 Chelmsford 781 392 1,173 
			 Coldingley 0 17 17 
			 Cookham Wood - - - 
			 Dartmoor - - - 
			 Deerbolt - - - 
			 Doncaster 2,139 199 2,338 
			 Dorchester 211 184 395 
			 Dovegate 0 0 0 
			 Dover 0 0 0 
			 Downview 0 0 0 
			 Drake Hall 0 0 0 
			 Durham 782 1,059 1,841 
			 East Sutton Park 0 0 0 
			 Eastwood Park 654 676 1,330 
			 Edmunds Hill 3 11 14 
			 Elmley 479 373 852 
			 Erlestoke 0 0 0 
			 Everthorpe 0 0 0 
			 Exeter 447 196 643 
			 Featherstone 34 0 34 
			 Feltham 184 24 208 
			 Ford - - - 
			 Forest Bank 908 0 908 
			 Foston Hall 400 351 751 
			 Frankland - - - 
			 Full Sutton - - - 
			 Garth - - - 
			 Gartree - - - 
			 Glen Parva 342 46 388 
			 Gloucester 225 301 526 
			 Grendon - - - 
			 Guys Marsh - - - 
			 Haslar - - - 
			 Haverigg - - - 
			 Hewell 1,583 226 1,809 
			 High Down 1,001 809 1,810 
			 Highpoint - - - 
			 Hindley - - - 
			 Hollesley Bay - - - 
			 Holloway 952 250 1,202 
			 Holme House 790 559 1,349 
			 Hull 1,315 157 1,472 
			 Huntercombe - - - 
			 Kennet - - - 
			 Kingston - - - 
			 Kirkham - - - 
			 Kirklevington - - - 
			 Lancaster - - - 
			 Lancaster Farms - - - 
			 Latchmere House - - - 
			 Leeds 1,306 2,225 3,531 
			 Leicester 964 0 964 
			 Lewes 515 351 866 
			 Leyhill 0 0 0 
			 Lincoln 1,091 503 1,594 
			 Lindholme - - - 
			 Littlehey - - - 
			 Liverpool 759 539 1,298 
			 Long Lartin 16 0 16 
			 Low Newton 3 359 362 
			 Lowdham Grange 387 76 463 
			 Maidstone 0 0 0 
			 Manchester 1,211 73 1,284 
			 Moorland - - - 
			 Morton Hall - - - 
			 Mount - - - 
			 New Hall 923 429 1,352 
			 North Sea Camp - - - 
			 Northallerton - - - 
			 Norwich 899 81 980 
			 Nottingham 448 634 1,082 
			 Onley - - - 
			 Parc 342 54 396 
			 Parkhurst 111 19 130 
			 Pentonville 1,361 385 1,746 
			 Peterborough - - - 
			 Portland - - - 
			 Preston 1,159 496 1,655 
			 Ranby - - - 
			 Reading 36 8 44 
			 Risley 12 10 22 
			 Rochester - - - 
			 Rye Hill - - - 
			 Send - - - 
			 Shepton Mallet - - - 
			 Shrewsbury 960 0 960 
			 Stafford 30 68 98 
			 Standford Hill 15 37 52 
			 Stocken - - - 
			 Stoke Heath 66 0 66 
			 Styal 226 896 1,122 
			 Sudbury 0 0 0 
			 Swaleside 77 24 101 
			 Swansea 853 217 1,070 
			 Swinfen Hall - - - 
			 Thorn Cross - - - 
			 Usk Prescoed - - - 
			 Verne - - - 
			 Wakefield 4 2 6 
			 Wandsworth 1,566 1,731 3,297 
			 Warren Hill - - - 
			 Wayland - - - 
			 Wealstun - - - 
			 Wellingborough - - - 
			 Werrington - - - 
			 Wetherby 25 3 28 
			 Whatton - - - 
			 Whitemoor - - - 
			 Winchester 827 24 851 
			 Wolds - - - 
			 Woodhill 1,229 248 1,477 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,461 133 1,594 
			 Wymott - - - 
			 Total 45,135 19,632 64,767 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10 
			  Establishment name  Extended  Initial  Total 2009-10 
			 Acklington - - - 
			 Albany - - - 
			 Altcourse 530 656 1,186 
			 Ashfield - - - 
			 Ashwell - - - 
			 Askham Grange - - - 
			 Aylesbury - 26 26 
			 Bedford 297 332 629 
			 Belmarsh 537 1,055 1,592 
			 Birmingham 1,242 2,556 3,798 
			 Blantyre House - - - 
			 Blundeston - - - 
			 Brinsford 216 140 356 
			 Bristol 818 862 1,680 
			 Brixton 844 1,370 2,214 
			 Bronzefield - 1,106 1,106 
			 Buckley Hall - - - 
			 Bullingdon 476 548 1,024 
			 Bullwood Hall - - - 
			 Bure - - - 
			 Camp Hill - - - 
			 Canterbury - - - 
			 Cardiff - 870 870 
			 Castington - 34 34 
			 Channings Wood - - - 
			 Chelmsford 489 497 986 
			 Coldingley 28 4 32 
			 Cookham Wood - - - 
			 Dartmoor - - - 
			 Deerbolt - - - 
			 Doncaster 722 1,721 2,443 
			 Dorchester 236 194 430 
			 Dovegate - - - 
			 Dover - - - 
			 Downview - - - 
			 Drake Hall - - - 
			 Durham 765 1,049 1,814 
			 East Sutton Park - - - 
			 Eastwood Park 764 327 1,091 
			 Edmunds Hill 70 70 140 
			 Elmley 418 476 894 
			 Erlestoke - - - 
			 Everthorpe - - - 
			 Exeter 552 529 1,081 
			 Featherstone - - - 
			 Feltham 18 94 112 
			 Ford - - - 
			 Forest Bank 54 743 797 
			 Foston Hall 246 276 522 
			 Frankland - - - 
			 Full Sutton - - - 
			 Garth - - - 
			 Gartree - - - 
			 Glen Parva 33 258 291 
			 Gloucester 395 183 578 
			 Grendon - - - 
			 Guys Marsh - - - 
			 Haslar - - - 
			 Haverigg - - - 
			 Hewell 155 493 648 
			 High Down 738 971 1,709 
			 Highpoint - - - 
			 Hindley - - - 
			 Hollesley Bay - - - 
			 Holloway 413 475 888 
			 Holme House 802 419 1,221 
			 Hull 120 1,239 1,359 
			 Huntercombe - - - 
			 Kennet - - - 
			 Kingston - - - 
			 Kirkham - - - 
			 Kirklevington - - - 
			 Lancaster - - - 
			 Lancaster Farms - - - 
			 Latchmere House - - - 
			 Leeds 1,028 476 1,504 
			 Leicester - 867 867 
			 Lewes 372 394 766 
			 Leyhill - - - 
			 Lincoln 834 748 1,582 
			 Lindholme - - - 
			 Littlehey - - - 
			 Liverpool 831 477 1,308 
			 Long Lartin - 20 20 
			 Low Newton 345 - 345 
			 Lowdham Grange 57 707 764 
			 Maidstone - - - 
			 Manchester 189 1,065 1,254 
			 Moorland - - - 
			 Morton Hall - - - 
			 Mount - - - 
			 New Hall 296 476 772 
			 North Sea Camp - - - 
			 Northallerton - - - 
			 Norwich 292 922 1,214 
			 Nottingham 530 373 903 
			 Onley - - - 
			 Parc 190 320 510 
			 Parkhurst 59 93 152 
			 Pentonville 816 1,043 1,859 
			 Peterborough 946 983 1,929 
			 Portland - - - 
			 Preston 986 1,226 2,212 
			 Ranby - - - 
			 Reading 36 17 53 
			 Risley - - - 
			 Rochester - - - 
			 Rye Hill - - - 
			 Send - - - 
			 Shepton Mallet - - - 
			 Shrewsbury 55 535 590 
			 Stafford 244 67 311 
			 Standford Hill 29 14 43 
			 Stocken - - - 
			 Stoke Heath - 26 26 
			 Styal 711 815 1,526 
			 Sudbury - - - 
			 Swaleside 30 28 58 
			 Swansea 323 936 1,259 
			 Swinfen Hall - - - 
			 Thorn Cross - - - 
			 Usk Prescoed - - - 
			 Verne - - - 
			 Wakefield 10 15 25 
			 Wandsworth 1,830 1,490 3,320 
			 Warren Hill - - - 
			 Wayland - - - 
			 Wealstun - - - 
			 Wellingborough - - - 
			 Werrington - - - 
			 Wetherby 2 23 25 
			 Whatton - - - 
			 Whitemoor - - - 
			 Winchester 41 781 822 
			 Wolds 4 18 22 
			 Woodhill 343 700 1,043 
			 Wormwood Scrub 337 1,064 1,401 
			 Wymott - - - 
			 Total 23,744 36,323 60,067

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department allocated for the provision for providing support in the NHS to victims of rape in each year since 2005; and what such funding he plans to provide in each year of the spending review period.

Anne Milton: Support for victims of rape and sexual violence are provided by a range of universal and specialist services, such as Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), some of which are commissioned by primary care trusts (PCTs). PCT recurrent revenue allocations are not broken down by policy or service area. Once allocated, it is for PCTs to commission the services they require to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations, taking account of both local and national priorities.
	In addition to PCT allocations, the Department has also funded voluntary and charitable organisations to deliver a range of projects that support victims of rape and sexual violence. This includes:
	£1.6 million to support the improvement of SARC services nationally, and to improve partnership working;
	£1.4 million to support the development of SARCs across the country through a dedicated Sexual Violence National Support Team;
	a £503,000 contribution to a cross-Government sexual violence fund for the voluntary sector;
	a development grant of £200,000 to support the development of a 'Women's Health and Equality Consortium' that brings together women's organisations working across a range of issues affecting organisations in the sector. The consortium includes Rape Crisis and FORWARD who will focus on the sustainability and support for the sexual violence sector; and
	£439,530 to fund specialist services for victims of violence and abuse run by voluntary and charitable organisations through the Innovation, Excellence and Service Development (IESD) fund. Applications for the 2011-12 IESD fund are currently being assessed.

Rehabilitation

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Chatham and Aylesford constituency,  (b) West Kent Primary Care Trust and  (c) Medway Primary Care Trust have been in abstinence-based rehabilitative treatment in each year since 2005.

Anne Milton: Information is not available in the format requested.
	The number of individuals receiving different forms of treatment from the Drug and Alcohol Action Team partnerships in Medway and in Kent, as recorded on the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) database, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Partnership  Intervention type  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Kent In-patient 69 76 127 158 125 
			  Residential 52 55 50 59 39 
			  Prescribing 1,365 1,511 1,877 2,159 2,255 
			  Psychosocial intervention 1,202 837 1,015 1,270 1,194 
			  Structured day programme 352 378 678 813 765 
			  Other structured intervention 356 395 1,025 1,193 986 
			
			 Medway In-patient 44 44 43 41 33 
			  Residential 6 * * * * 
			  Prescribing 430 486 608 673 680 
			  Psychosocial intervention 109 71 61 126 118 
			  Structured day programme 9 24 94 169 160 
			  Other structured intervention 114 175 142 150 201 
			  Notes: 1. In line with national statistics protocols, numbers for residential intervention in Medway have been suppressed because they are five or less. 2. NDTMS does not collect information separately for West Kent primary care trust (PCT), but activity is reported along with activity in Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT.  Source: National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse

Social Services: Carers Grant

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) the carers grant and  (b) other revenue grants provided by his Department for adult social care will continue to be made between 2011 and 2015; and what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of each such grants 2010-11 levels in each such year.

Paul Burstow: The funding for all existing departmental revenue grants for adult social care have been maintained, and will rise in line with inflation over the spending review period. This includes the funding that is currently in the carers grant. We have also allocated an additional £1 billion by 2014-15, through local government, to support social care. In order to support local flexibility and to reduce administrative burdens, these funding streams will go to authorities through the general local government formula grant.
	The value of the social care grant funding which is rolling into formula grant is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2010-11  2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 AIDS Support 25.50 27.70 30.30 33.10 36.20 
			 Preserved Rights 235.40 228.84 221.68 215.11 209.80 
			 On-going Personal Social Services(1) 752.34 767.02 784.43 804.98 826.31 
			 Re-cycled Personal Social Services(2) 303.00 318.15 335.75 354.91 373.11 
			 New Personal Social Services Funding (3)- 530.00 930.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 
			 Total 1,316.24 1,871.71 2,302.16 2,408.10 2,445.42 
			 (1) Previously formed from: Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Learning Disability Development Fund, Mental Capacity Act and Independent Mental Capacity Advocate Service, Carers, Adult Social Care Workforce, LINKs. (2 )Previously formed from: Social Care Reform, Learning Disability Campus Closure Programme, Stroke Strategy. (3 )New. 
		
	
	In addition, the Department will be allocating the learning disabilities and health reform grant to local authorities. This is a new grant, reflecting the transfer of commissioning responsibility for specialist services for people with learning disabilities from primary care trusts to local authorities. This grant will be worth £1,325.58 million in 2011-12, and £1,356.99 million in 2012-13. Allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be determined in due course.

Tuberculosis

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the variation in the rate of tuberculosis between local authority areas.

Anne Milton: The Department and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have published guidance to support the national health service in commissioning and providing effective services to prevent, diagnose and treat tuberculosis (TB).
	The Department has funded TB Alert, the United Kingdom's national TB charity, to raise awareness of TB among the public and primary health care professionals to help improve TB detection and treatment completion.
	The Department has also funded a "Find and Treat" outreach programme in London, to work alongside local TB services to detect and treat cases of TB among the homeless and other vulnerable groups.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft: Inspections

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) UK-registered and  (b) foreign-registered aircraft were inspected by the Civil Aviation Authority in each of the last 12 months; what the country of registration was of each such foreign-registered aircraft; where each such inspection took place; and whether prior notice of inspection was given in each instance.

Theresa Villiers: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) inspections of UK registered aircraft form part of a pre-planned comprehensive monitoring programme that is applied to each UK owner/operator and therefore the CAA has no need to record this data centrally. The CAA carried out approximately 790 airworthiness inspections and 24 operational ramp inspections on UK registered aircraft during the last 12 months.
	Other elements of the monitoring programme, such as flight inspections, may also include an element of aircraft inspection.
	The CAA also inspects foreign registered aircraft on behalf of the Department for Transport as part of the European Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft programme. No prior notice of such inspections is given. The number of inspections conducted on foreign aircraft in each of the last 12 months is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Month  Number of Inspections 
			  2009  
			 December 116 
			  2010  
			 January 128 
			 February 97 
			 March 74 
			 April 87 
			 May 111 
			 June 113 
			 July 104 
			 August 72 
			 September 110 
			 October 73 
			 November 69 
		
	
	As of 16 December the CAA had inspected aircraft from 92 states or territories in 2010. The inspections took place at 36 aerodromes across the UK. Details of the states of registration of the aircraft inspected in 2010 and the aerodromes at which those inspections were conducted have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

British Cycling: Roads

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings his Department has had with British Cycling to discuss the future of cycle racing on the roads.

Norman Baker: Ministers and officials have met British Cycling a number of times since May 2009. The most recent meetings are as follows:
	Officials in the Department's Road User Safety Division had a meeting with British Cycling on 26 May 2010, and are due to meet them again in early January 2011.
	I had a meeting with British Cycling on 28 June 2010 and am due to meet them again in mid-January.
	Officials in The Traffic Signs and Signals Branch had a meeting with British Cycling on 13 July 2010.
	Ministers have also since May 2010 had useful meetings with other cycle groups to discuss this issue.

Buses: Antisocial Behaviour

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued to bus operators on addressing antisocial behaviour on its services.

Norman Baker: In 2005 and 2006, the Department for Transport issued practical guidance to bus operators on reducing the risks of violence, antisocial behaviour and criminal damage on board, as well as a series of guidelines for operators on personal security. The documents are archived on the internet at the following addresses:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses/buscrime/protectingbusandcoachcrewsb
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/crime/personalsecurity/getonboardpsguidance
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/crime/personalsecurity/personalsecurityguidelines/
	Earlier this year, the Department for Transport consulted on improving the bus journey experience through changes to the conduct regulations, which set out the duties of bus and coach drivers, inspectors and conductors, and passengers. A Government response to this consultation will be published in due course. The issue of driver training and conduct was discussed with bus operators at the July meeting of the Bus Partnership Forum, which I chair, and is on the agenda for the forum's meeting in January. The forum is made up of representatives of the bus industry, passenger transport executives, transport co-ordinating officers, passengers and disability groups.

Crossrail

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the extension by one year of the planned timetable for completion of the Crossrail scheme.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 16 December 2010
	The lengthening of the delivery programme for the central tunnel section of the Crossrail project has enabled substantial savings in the costs for the scheme.
	Lengthening the construction programme does not increase the cost of the scheme to the Department for Transport.

Cycle Racing: Roads

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made on reviewing and redrafting the Cycle Racing on the Highways Regulations 1960; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Officials are currently considering a redraft of the Cycle Racing on the Highways Regulations 1960, taking into account the views of British Cycling and other cycling interest groups. I am keen to make progress on this matter.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what consideration was given to lifting the Dartford Crossing tolls on 11 November 2010 following the closure of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge;
	(2)  on how many occasions the Dartford Crossing tolls have been suspended owing to congestion since 6 May 2010.

Michael Penning: The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge was closed on 11 November because high winds created a safety hazard to all vehicles travelling over the bridge.
	The delays were caused, not by the collection of charges but by the non-availability of the infrastructure. The southbound contra-flow (through the East Tunnel) and the queuing through the tunnel northbound (due to delays at J30/J31) both constrained traffic flows.
	Subsequent to events on 11 November, we have been made aware of the significant delays experienced by drivers using local roads in and around Thurrock. We will learn from this experience and will consider how in the future we receive earlier warning of congestion on local roads.
	Since 6 May 2010, the Dartford Crossing charges have been suspended on one occasion. This was on 6 August following a lorry fire on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which necessitated its closure because of smoke, clearance of the vehicle and debris on the road.

Departmental NDPBs

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much expenditure each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies has incurred on redundancy costs since 1 May 2010.

Norman Baker: holding answer 16 December 2010
	Expenditure for redundancy costs for each of the Department's non-departmental public bodies reported since 1 May 2010, are:
	
		
			   Redundancy costs since May 2010 (£) 
			 Northern Lighthouse Board 5,266.21 
			 Trinity Lighthouse 258,564.25 
		
	
	There has been no expenditure incurred on redundancy costs for the British Transport Police Authority, Renewable Fuels Agency, Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee, Directly Operated Railways Ltd, Directly Operated Railways Ltd, Passenger Focus, Traffic Commissioners and Deputies.

Departmental Pay

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff employed by his Department were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: All London based staff employed by the Department for Transport and its seven executive agencies are paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage.

EU Law

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many EU directives are pending transposition into domestic legislation by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such transposition.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has 38 directives that are pending transposition into domestic legislation.
	A full assessment of the cost of each item of legislation will be carried out once a final decision is reached on the method of transposition and implementation. This information will be published in impact assessments for each directive.

First Capital Connect: Overcrowding

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the level of overcrowding on First Capital Connect passenger rail services between Stevenage and Kings Cross; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold detailed passenger count information for every station stop on individual services between Stevenage and King's Cross. The limited information that the Department holds for average critical loads on peak services arriving into and departing from King's Cross during spring 2010 indicates that trains on this line that stop at Stevenage have not been operating in excess of capacity. However, the information we have is not comprehensive, so it is possible that individual instances of over-crowding may be occurring.
	The Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes aggregate statistics on 'passengers in excess of capacity' in Table 2.4 in National Rail Trends (NRT), which can be found at:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2026
	These figures were last updated in July 2010 for the autumn 2009 period.

Motorcycles: Licensing

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will implement the Third European Driving Licence Directive to allow novice motorcycle licence holders to progress through each licensing category stage via a training rather than a testing route; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The issue is being considered as part of the review of the motorcycle test announced on 8 June 2010.

Network Rail: Passengers

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects on passengers of the operation by train companies of different off-peak times; and if he will take steps to harmonise such times across the rail network.

Theresa Villiers: No assessment has been carried out by the Department for Transport on the effects on passengers of the operation by train companies of different off-peak times.
	The franchise agreement allows individual train operators the flexibility to define what is 'off-peak' according to local conditions. We do not consider it appropriate to require all train operators to have the same off-peak periods because this could lead to many passengers being subject to restrictions at times when it was not necessary.

North East

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Ministers in his Department have visited the North East since their appointment.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport and I have each visited the North East since our appointment.

Railways: Antisocial Behaviour

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many arrests were made for antisocial behaviour on trains in each year since 2007.

Theresa Villiers: This information is not held by the Department for Transport, but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at 25 Camden Road, London, NW1 9LN or by e-mail at:
	parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk

Railways: Disability

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the accuracy of the information that train operating companies running services in London provide to Transport for London on the accessibility of their stations for disabled people.

Theresa Villiers: The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) provides comprehensive information on disabled access to stations via the National Rail Enquiries website.
	However, in recognition of the importance of accurate information and assistance to disabled passengers, the Department for Transport has recently provided financial support to ATOC to carry out access audits of every station in Great Britain for use with the "Stations Made Easy" application, which launched in December 2009. Individual station operators are required to update this where facilities are upgraded, or are temporarily not available. New audits can be carried out where major changes are made.

Railways: Electrification

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce plans for the electrification of rail lines in South Wales.

Theresa Villiers: The Government will be in a position to make an announcement on further electrification of the Great Western Main Line once the review of the InterCity Express Programme is complete. It is expected that this will be in the new year.

Railways: Fares

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to issue guidance on the installation of Oyster card recharge points at rail stations outside Greater London.

Theresa Villiers: There are currently no plans to issue guidance on the installation of Oyster card top up points at rail stations outside Greater London. Passengers can purchase top ups on the internet and upload to their Oyster cards at station validators/gate lines. Within London, at all but a small number of stations, top-ups are available through passenger operated ticket vending machines (TVMs) or at local Transport for London Ticketstop Agents.

Railways: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date his Department received the Rail Value for Money Study interim submission by Sir Roy McNulty.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 13 December 2010
	The Department for Transport received a draft of the Rail Value for Money Study interim submission in September 2010. This is in line with the announcement made on 14 June 2010, when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that he had asked for an acceleration of the study, so that Sir Roy McNulty could present his early findings in time to inform the Government's decisions on public spending in the autumn. The document was published on 7 December 2010, to coincide with the Government's announcement on franchising and the future structure of the rail industry.

Railways: Industrial Disputes

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 14 March 2005,  Official Report, column 4W, on train operating companies (compensation), when the last payment was made by Government to a train operating company for loss of revenue arising from a dispute with a trade union; and how much that payment was.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 7 December 2010
	The information requested is commercially confidential.

Railways: Kent

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reinstate recently closed train services linking Kent to the City of London.

Theresa Villiers: Department for Transport officials are working with Southeastern to assess the level of service provision to Maidstone. Any possible service changes will need to be affordable and provide value for money. It is hoped that this work will conclude before the end of February 2011.

Railways: South East Region

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he made of the performance of  (a) Southeastern and  (b) the previous operator for Mid Kent services between London and Maidstone over equivalent periods in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Southeastern's operational performance is reviewed by Department for Transport officials on a four weekly basis. This review looks across Southeastern's operations as a network. The Department does not hold information regarding the individual routes which Southeastern operates.
	Network Rail is responsible for performance data for the rail industry. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for such information:
	Peter Henderson
	Acting Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London, N1 9AG.

Railways: Standards

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of recent progress towards meeting targets to reduce rail delays caused by infrastructure work.

Theresa Villiers: Monitoring Network Rail's progress in reducing the delays caused by infrastructure work is the responsibility of the independent Office of Rail Regulation, which published its latest quarterly assessment of the company's performance on 1 December 2010.

Railways: Travel Information

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure accurate travel information is provided to rail passengers; and whether this will require changes to the Train Service Information Database.

Theresa Villiers: Rail Franchise agreements require train operators to provide accurate information to passengers. As part of its Network Licence, Network Rail must ensure that timetables are available to passengers 12 weeks in advance of the date of operation, including any planned disruption. Compliance with the licence obligations is monitored and enforced by the Office of Rail Regulation.
	Currently, the industry is developing a new train running information system which will be driven by the signalling system, and which will provide much more accurate and detailed information for passengers waiting at stations. This will be introduced progressively over the next three years.

Railways: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the funding set out in his Department's Statement of Funds Available has been allocated to railways in Wales.

Theresa Villiers: As required by paragraph 1D(1)(b) of schedule 4 to the Railways Act 1993, the Department for Transport's Statement of Funds Available during the period 2009-10 to 2013-14 relates to railway activities in Great Britain as a whole. There is no separate allocation of the funds, by the Department, to Wales.

Rescue Services

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has undertaken on his plans for search and rescue services; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made in the House on 16 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 133-134WS, in which I announced the start of a consultation on the modernisation of the coastguard. During the consultation period the Maritime and Coastguard Agency will formally negotiate with the trade unions and will hold staff briefings and public meetings.

Search and Rescue Services

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence on the privatisation of search and rescue services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the effects on the UK's capacity to fulfil its search and rescue obligations of privatising search and rescue operations; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 16 December,  Official Report, column 134WS.

Thameslink Railway Line: Maidstone

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the operators of the Southeastern rail franchise on connecting Maidstone to the Thameslink network; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Thameslink programme will not be completed until 2018, several years after the expiry of the existing Southeastern and First Capital Connect franchises. The pattern of train services that will run from 2018 has not yet been decided.
	Department for Transport officials are working with Southeastern looking at train service provision to Maidstone and how they could introduce incremental performance improvements on the North Kent Line. This includes reviewing the possibilities created by the Thameslink infrastructure works due to be complete at London Blackfriars in 2012. Any service change would need to be affordable and provide value for money.

Travel: Maidstone

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure adequate transport links between Maidstone and the City of London.

Theresa Villiers: The required level of rail services between Maidstone and London are secured through the Service Level Commitment specified in the Southeastern franchise agreement. A service level commitment is the current means by which the Secretary of State specifies the level, frequency, maximum journey times and stopping patterns of the railway passenger services that the franchisee is to operate.
	Southeastern, as the train operator, is responsible for the detailed planning of the timetable. I expect Southeastern to keep its timetable under review and propose amendments or changes as it deems necessary.

Twickenham Station

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2010,  Official Report, column 73W, when his Department plans to complete negotiations with Stagecoach South West Trains for the delivery of additional passenger capacity at Twickenham station.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport expects to complete commercial negotiations with Stagecoach South West Trains during 2011 for the delivery of additional passenger capacity and longer trains on the route to London Waterloo by 2014.

Waterloo Station

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to determine the future of the Waterloo International terminal; and what the reason is for the time taken to make that determination.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State recently announced, as part of the rail settlement that additional vehicles will be provided to alleviate overcrowding on the network.
	The Department for Transport will now be engaging with various stakeholders to agree the best solution in terms of operational effectiveness and value for money for taxpayers.
	The outcome of this work will help determine the long term plans for the Waterloo International terminal.
	The Government wants to see the former Eurostar platforms at Waterloo International terminal are brought back into use for domestic passenger services.

Waterloo Station

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce a decision on the future of Waterloo International terminal.

Theresa Villiers: I refer to the hon. Member to the written answer given today to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) [UIN 29188].

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes were built between 2005-06 and 2008-09.

Andrew Stunell: Information on the number of additional new-build affordable homes in England for the period requested can be found from the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/1406088.xls
	The information covers the supply of homes for social rent, intermediate rent and low cost home ownership.
	Not all affordable housing is provided through new-build completions as supply can also come from the acquisition and refurbishment of private sector homes. In 2009-10, for example, 57,730 additional affordable homes were provided in England through new-building, acquisition and refurbishment.
	These are gross figures. I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the answer given to Lord Beecham of 10 November 2010,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column WA84, on the net decrease in affordable housing of 200,000 between 1997-98 and 2009-10.

Big Society

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish examples of best practice for Big Society initiatives; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: We intend to publish case studies focusing on the work of the Big Society vanguards in due course. In addition, the Big Society awards, launched by the Prime Minister on 22 November, will recognise outstanding examples of the Big Society in action.
	The plans set out in the Localism Bill will help build the Big Society by radically transforming the relationships between central government, local government, communities and individuals. Local people are best placed to judge which Big Society initiatives work in their area-and to promote them locally. Central Government has an important role to play in galvanising and supporting people to become involved in building the Big Society.
	The Secretary of State has issued the second invitation to local authorities under the Sustainable Communities Act on Wednesday 15 December. He invited councils to consult their communities and try to reach agreement with them about how they would like to improve their area.

Building Regulations

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that the planned local standards framework for building codes will not result in a decline in building standards.

Andrew Stunell: The Minister for Housing and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), recently proposed the concept of a Local Standards Framework as a means to reduce complexity, duplication and overlap in local standard-setting. My Department is now scoping out this idea with partners in house building, local government and more widely, with the aim of determining by the spring whether this would be a helpful approach to pursue.
	The aim is both to reduce regulatory costs on house builders and to support local authorities and neighbourhoods to make informed decisions about additional technically robust local standards they may want to set in their local plans, taking account of the impact on viability of new development in their areas.
	The framework would be additional to the Building Regulations, which will remain in place and ensure minimum build standards. These were last updated on 1 October this year and my ministerial statement of 16 December 2010,  Official Report, column 115WS, set out the programme of work the Department will lead in the new year to establish proposals for consultation in late 2011.

Climate Change: Finance

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his plans for the future of the Climate Change Grant.

Greg Clark: The provisional Local Government Settlement for 2011-12 and 2012-13 contains provision for local planning authorities to cover planning functions, including climate change-related planning activity.

Community Development: Referendums

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if the franchise for referendums on neighbourhood plans will provide for a ballot paper for every  (a) voter and  (b) household.

Greg Clark: Every person with a qualifying address in the referendum area and who is entitled to vote in local council elections will be entitled to vote on neighbourhood planning proposals. We do not intend to make provision for household ballot papers.

Community Relations: Finance

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his plans for the future of the Cohesion Grant.

Andrew Stunell: Cohesion funding will end in March 2011. My Department is currently developing a new approach to promote integration and participation. This will take account of the Prevent Review and will build on this Department's previous work on cohesion.
	Work is underway to consider funding decisions following the comprehensive spending review settlement and announcements of any funding will be made in due course.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many official visits he has made to  (a) the North East,  (b) the North West,  (c) the East Midlands,  (d) the West Midlands,  (e) Yorkshire and the Humber,  (f) the East of England,  (g) the South East,  (h) Greater London and (i) the South West since his appointment.

Bob Neill: Since his appointment in May 2010, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), has made officials visits to: Boscombe, Bradford, Liverpool, Southampton and Windsor and Maidenhead. He will be undertaking a series of further visits from the new year as he is keen to visit a wide range of places across the country.

Departmental Official Cars

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many journeys were undertaken by Ministerial drivers engaged by his Department since 6 May 2010; and in respect of how many such journeys a Minister  (a) travelled in the car for (i) the whole and (ii) part of the journey and  (b) did not travel in the car.

Bob Neill: The specific details of individual journeys by car are not recorded.

Departmental Overtime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on overtime for staff working in the private office of the Secretary of State in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: Total overtime payments to staff in the Secretary of State's office for the years in question are as follows
	
		
			   £000 
			 2006-07 39.8 
			 2007-08 47.9 
			 2008-09 60.9 
			 2009-10 69.3 
			 2010-11 (1)21.6 
			 (1) Part year to 30 November 2010

Departmental Pay

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many civil servants in his Department receive annual salaries of over  (a) £40,000,  (b) £50,000,  (c) £60,000,  (d) £70,000,  (e) £80,000,  (f) £90,000,  (g) £100,000,  (h) £134,565,  (i) £142,500 and  (j) £200,000.

Bob Neill: The following table shows how many civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government receive higher salaries than the given amounts:
	
		
			  Salary  Total h eadcount 
			  Over  
			 £200,000 0 
			 £142,500 5 
			 £134,565 6 
			 £100,000 17 
			 £90,000 24 
			 £80,000 37 
			 £70,000 89 
			 £60,000 188 
			 £50,000 535 
			 £40,000 910 
		
	
	Please note that the numbers of civil servants in the second column are cumulative and so are included in the totals within the row below.
	The new Government are committed to transparency and have published detailed information on staff salaries and posts on the departmental website.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the effect of the increase in the standard rate of value added tax on his Department's annual expenditure.

Bob Neill: We have not made an estimate at departmental level. When making plans and forecasting expenditure, individual budget managers apply the rate of VAT that they expect to be chargeable at the time of the expenditure.

Departmental Stationery

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, on ballpoint pens, how much the  (a) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and  (b) Deputy Prime Minister's Office spent on branded (i) ballpoint pens and (ii) fountain pens; and how many items of each make were purchased.

Bob Neill: The then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister spent a total of £3,450 on 20,000 ballpoint pens with Office of the Deputy Prime Minister branding. The new administration is encouraging staff to use up these pens to help reduce the need to buy stationery.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles) on 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1935W, and the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), on 25 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 1934-35W.
	Details of the expenditure on pens by the Deputy Prime Minister's Office are not held.

Fire Services: Finance

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding he plans to allocate to each fire service in each year of the spending review period.

Bob Neill: The provisional Local Government Finance settlements for 2011-12 and 2012-13 were announced by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), on 13 December 2010. Details, including those for fire and rescue authorities, are available at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/grant.htm

Housing Revenue Accounts

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2010,  Official Report, column 260W, on local government finance, what the monetary value was of non-school reserves in the Housing Revenue Account in respect of each local authority in each year.

Bob Neill: Information on Housing Revenue Account balances appropriated to reserves is not collected centrally.

Immigrants: Newham

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to increase the frequency of enumeration of new migrants resident in the London borough of Newham.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what steps are being taken to maximise the enumeration rate of new migrants resident in the London borough of Newham. 31589
	The 2011 Census is building on the valuable experience gained and lessons learned from the 2001 Census by placing greater emphasis on collaboration with local authorities and with many community organisations. ONS is working in partnership with local authorities in a number of ways to maximise the response to the 2011 Census. These include the development of address lists, identifying hard to count populations through local and community intelligence, and promoting the value of the census and the need for completion to all local residents. We have provided the opportunity for local authorities to comment on address lists of communal establishments in their area and Newham Borough Council has contributed fully to this process.
	We have appointed two full-time area managers covering Newham who are working closely with the census liaison manager, and the assistant census liaison manager, appointed by the Newham Borough Council. The area managers are making contact with a number of local community organisations representing Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Albanian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Kosovan, Portuguese, Indian (including Sinhalese and Tamil speakers), Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, Black African, Latin American, and Filipino communities. We also have a number of part-time community advisors working with Black African, Black Caribbean, Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi communities in the Newham area. Posters and leaflets about the census in a variety of languages are being displayed in a number of venues and plans are being made to set up a number of public events to aid those who will need help in completing their questionnaires for any reason.
	ONS has put a formal framework in place through which all councils can help to determine local priorities and channels of engagement. Local partnership plans identify important local enumeration challenges and provide the opportunity for the ONS local team and local council officials to discuss and determine these local priorities. Councillors from Newham have also been engaged and are being encouraged to be champions of the census in their wards.
	Area managers (and local councils if possible) are being asked to encourage those with additional language skills to apply for the field staff roles currently advertised. As part of the recruitment process candidates are asked to include on their application form any language skills they have. This information will be provided to field managers so that they are fully aware of the linguistic skills that they have within their team.
	A high proportion of the 35,000 field staff has been allocated to areas where it has been hard to obtain responses, particularly inner city areas, areas of high migration and population change.
	The amount of resource directed towards collecting outstanding questionnaires in London is four times greater than that employed in 2001.
	I hope you will be reassured by the steps that ONS is taking to enumerate residents in Newham.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what mechanism is in place to assist communities without local enterprise partnerships;
	(2)  which communities in England will not be covered by local enterprise partnerships;
	(3)  what assistance his Department plans to provide to communities that are not covered by a local enterprise partnership.

Bob Neill: We received 62 proposals for local enterprise partnerships. We have so far asked 27 local enterprise partnerships to proceed towards the establishment of their board. Together, these partnerships cover about 67% of England's population and over 60% of all businesses in England. A map identifying those areas currently and not currently covered by local enterprise partnerships has been placed in the Library of the House.
	However, we are in discussion with those partnerships that were not asked to proceed with their proposal. We continue to work with them as they further develop their proposals and we will welcome revised proposals from such places as they become ready. A number of areas are planning to submit their proposals in the new year and we will ensure that the House is kept up to date as new local enterprise partnerships are confirmed.

Local Government Finance

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the level of each grant proposed to be included in the formula grant  (a) was in 2010-11 and  (b) will be in 2011-12.

Bob Neill: Details of grants proposed to be included in formula grant in 2011-12 are available on our website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/keytab1112/KT3_1112.xls

Local Government Finance

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future of each area grant not planned to be included in the formula grant.

Bob Neill: The Government have significantly simplified and streamlined grant funding, by rolling around £4.4 billion of grant rolled into formula grant by 2014-15 into the unhypothecated formula grant. We have reduced revenue grants for councils from over 90 to fewer than 10 and rolled 18 grants into formula grant. The remaining grants will not be ring-fenced in 2011-12, apart from simplified schools funding. Beyond that, decisions about the precise mechanism by which grants not included in formula grant will be paid will be announced in due course.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the proposed reduction to formula grant over the Spending Review period he expects to make in  (a) 2010-11,  (b) 2011-12,  (c) 2012-13,  (d) 2013-14 and  (e) 2014-15.

Bob Neill: Our plans for tackling the deficit were laid out in the Spending Review announcement of 20 October 2010. On 13 December 2010 we announced our plans for the provisional local government finance settlements for 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Local Government Finance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much and what proportion of revenue expenditure by each local authority in England was from  (a) revenue support grant,  (b) area based grant,  (c) council tax and  (d) fees and charges in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: holding answer 20 December 2010
	I have today placed in the Library of the House a table that gives, by each local authority in England, the percentage of total service expenditure financed from  (a) revenue support grant,  (b) area based grant,  (c) council tax and  (d) fees and charges in 2009-10.

Local Government Finance

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was provided in grant to local authorities, excluding that financed by business rates, in (a) cash and (b) real terms in each year since 1980-81; and what the equivalent figures are for 2011-12.

Bob Neill: Total central Government revenue grants to local authorities excluding business rates are shown in the following table for the years 1981-82 to 2009-10. These data are as reported by local authorities to the Department for Communities and Local Government on the Revenue Outturn (RO) form. Data for 1980-81 are not available.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Central Government Grants( 1)  (excluding redistributed non-domestic rates) 
			  Financial year  England (cash terms)  England (real terms)( 2) 
			 1981-82 10,930 30,364 
			 1982-83 11,233 29,208 
			 1983-84 11,520 28,639 
			 1984-85 11,938 28,178 
			 1985-86 11,715 26,182 
			 1986-87 11,950 25,877 
			 1987-88 12,723 26,059 
			 1988-89 13,201 25,319 
			 1989-90 13,481 24,137 
			 1990-91 12,927 21,454 
			 1991-92 18,620 29,175 
			 1992-93 20,968 31,871 
			 1993-94 21,685 32,082 
			 1994-95 23,679 34,494 
			 1995-96 23,335 33,045 
			 1996-97 23,003 31,403 
			 1997-98 23,840 31,716 
			 1998-99 25,291 32,952 
			 1999-2000 26,421 33,760 
			 2000-01 27,809 35,073 
			 2001-02 31,469 38,820 
			 2002-03 32,634 39,001 
			 2003-04 41,777 48,558 
			 2004-05 45,258 51,181 
			 2005-06 45,838 50,914 
			 2006-07 49,093 52,758 
			 2007-08 51,656 53,966 
			 2008-09 53,007 53,891 
			 2009-10 57,883 57,883 
			 2010-11(3) 57,916 56,175 
			 (1) Central Government grants include specific grants inside aggregate external finance, area based grant, revenue support grant, police grant and general GLA grant. (2) Real terms are based on 2009-10 market prices using HM Treasury GDP deflator published on 29 September 2010. (3) Based on budget estimates of revenue expenditure from local authorities in England. HM Treasury's forecasted GDP deflator for the financial year 2010-11 is used (based on 2009-10 market prices) to produce the 'real terms' England figure, therefore could be subject to revisions.  Source: Department for Communities and Local Government, Revenue Outturn (RO) returns 
		
	
	Proposals for the provisional Local Government Finance settlement for 2011-12, including Revenue Support Grant are available at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/grant.htm

Local Government Finance: Rotherham

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the difference in cash terms is between central Government grants allocated to the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham for 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Bob Neill: holding answer 20 December 2010
	Rotherham's central Government grant allocation for 2010-11 is £163.4 million. This figure includes formula grant (adjusted to allow a like-for-like comparison with 2011-12) of £139.4 million and specific grants of £24 million.
	The council's estimated central Government grant allocation for 2011-12 is £146.9 million. This figure includes formula grant of £123.2 million and specific grants (including council tax freeze grant) of £23.75 million.
	Rotherham's revenue spending power, as set out in the provisional local government finance settlement, will decrease by 5% in 2011-12.
	For comparative purposes, central Government grant includes formula grant and specific revenue grants for which allocations are available in 2011-12.

Local Government: Referendums

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many referendums held by local authorities have approved an increase in council tax in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: We are not aware of any such referendums being held by local authorities in England in the last five years. Council tax referendums have previously been held in Milton Keynes in 1999, Bristol in 2001 and Croydon in 2001 and 2002.

Non-domestic Rates

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultation he undertook with  (a) Government Departments,  (b) local authorities and  (c) other organisations on proposed changes to local business rates.

Bob Neill: The Local Growth White Paper 'Local growth: realising every places potential' confirmed that the Local Government Resource Review, starting in January, will consider proposals to allow local authorities to retain locally-raised business rates. The White Paper sought comments on those proposals, and the Government are considering all the responses we have received.

Non-domestic Rates: Carlisle

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was paid in business rates in Carlisle city council area in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Bob Neill: Carlisle city council collected £33,976,897 in non-domestic rates in 2008-09 and £34,488,599 in 2009-10. These amounts are irrespective to the year to which the non-domestic rates relates i.e. it includes non-domestic rates in respect of the current year, previous years and pre-payments for future years.
	These figures are taken from national non-domestic rates (NNDR3) returns completed annually by all billing authorities in England.

Non-domestic Rates: Retail Trade

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many retail units with a rateable value of less than  (a) £5,000,  (b) £10,000 and  (c) £15,000 are unoccupied.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally.

Planning

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures are in place to guide communities in the development of neighbourhood plans.

Greg Clark: Local planning authorities will have a duty to provide advice and support to those bodies preparing neighbourhood planning proposals. In addition, we expect to fund a number of organisations to provide support directly to communities in developing neighbourhood plans.

Planning

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what measures are in place to ensure fairness and equality when determining what groups of people constitute a neighbourhood;
	(2)  what definition of neighbourhoods his Department uses in the development of neighbourhood plans.

Greg Clark: In areas with established parish councils, the neighbourhood area for the purposes of neighbourhood planning will normally be based on existing parish boundaries, unless there are good reasons for departing from them. In areas without parishes, community groups can put themselves forward to be designated by the local planning authority as the neighbourhood forum for an area. The community group will propose what the neighbourhood area's boundaries should be, but it will be the local planning authorities who will designate neighbourhood areas ensuring coherence and fairness across their areas and that neighbourhood boundaries make sense in planning terms.

Planning

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to announce the funding available under the Neighbourhood Planning Vanguard scheme.

Greg Clark: The Neighbourhood Planning Vanguards scheme was announced by means of a notice on the DCLG website on Thursday 9 December. That notice states that, under this scheme, a grant of up to £20,000 will be made available towards the cost of the plan and orders within each neighbourhood. The notice is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/neighbourhoodplanningvanguards/

Planning Aid: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department has been allocated to Planning Aid in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Department for Communities and Local Government has allocated the following funding to Planning Aid over the last five financial years, including the current year:
	
		
			  Financial year  £  million 
			 2006-07 1.5 
			 2007-08 1.7 
			 2008-09 3.2 
			 2009-10 4.1 
			 2010-11 3.6

Population: Statistics

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methodology his Department uses to ensure that population figures are accurately predicted in areas with a high level of mobility.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to you Parliamentary Questions asking what methodology is used to ensure that population figures are accurately predicted in areas with a high level of mobility (31584).
	ONS produces subnational population projections using an internationally recognised demographic method. This method provides projections of the estimated population of a local authority district based on assumptions that recent patterns of births, deaths, and migration continue.
	These projections are not forecasts. They do not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies, changing economic circumstances or other factors might have on demographic behaviour.
	The extent to which the subnational population projections accurately reflect the future population of an area thus depends on:
	the accuracy of the population estimate used as the base for the projection; and
	the extent to which recent demographic patterns are repeated in the future.
	Descriptions of the methodologies used in producing the population estimates and the subnational population projections are published at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/about/data/methodology/specific/population/default.asp
	The Quality Reports, which assess the population estimates; the sub national population projections; and the international and within UK migration estimates which feed into these, are published on the ONS website at:
	www.ons.gov.uk/about-statistics/methodology-and-quality/quality/qual-info-economic-social-and-bus-stats/quality-reports-for-social-statistics/index.html
	The Quality Report for the subnational projections notes that the (2008-based) projected figure for 2009 was within 1% of the population estimate for 327 of the 354 local authorities then current in England.
	Methods used by the ONS to quality assure the population estimates and projections include:
	scrutiny of input data to remove abnormal values where appropriate;
	checks against other data sources and previous demographic patterns.
	consultation with local authorities over migration assumptions used in the projections;
	The subnational population projections are also constrained to the national population projections. The assumptions on which the latter are based are agreed in liaison with the devolved administrations following consultations with key users of projections in each UK country and advice from an expert academic advisory panel.
	Since migration is the most difficult aspect of population change to measure accurately, it is likely that areas with a highly mobile population have a less accurate population projection than areas with a less mobile population. A detailed discussion of what is known about the reliability of population estimates is provided in section 4 of the Quality Measures for Population Estimates paper published at:
	www.ons.gov.uk/about-statistics/methodology-and-quality/imps/mig-stats-improve-prog/comm-stakeholders/improvements-2008-pop-est/key-documents/quality-measures-for-population-estimates.pdf

Preventing Violent Extremism Community Leadership Fund

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his plans for the Preventing Violent Extremism Grant.

Andrew Stunell: The Home Secretary announced to the House on 9 November 2010 a review of the Government's strategy for preventing violent extremism. That made clear that the new Prevent strategy, which will be led by Home Office, will be more clearly distinguished from work to tackle wider forms of extremism and to promote integration. Work on these last two areas is currently being developed by officials in my Department, working closely with other Government Departments. Announcements about Prevent funding will be made by the Home Office following the publication of the revised Prevent strategy.

Renewable Energy: Planning Permission

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing temporary fixed-term planning consents for renewable energy installations on historic listed buildings.

Bob Neill: The Government are keen to encourage take up of renewable energy technologies, wherever possible, but we also need to protect historic buildings. Current legislation does not specifically preclude the grant of temporary listed building consents. It is for the local planning authority to decide whether such a condition would be appropriate.

Safer Stronger Communities Fund

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his plans for the future of the Stronger Safer Communities Fund.

Andrew Stunell: The Stronger Safer Communities Fund was paid to local authorities until March 2008 when it became part of the non ring-fenced Area Based Grant. There will be no further DCLG funding for this over the spending review period, with the exception of £3.9 million which has been allocated to complete existing funding commitments in 2011-12.
	I note the previous administration declined to commit any funding for this scheme beyond 2010-11 in a parliamentary answer of 23 February 2010,  Official Report, column 474W.

Social Rented Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the criteria used by local housing authorities to determine priority applicants; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: Local authorities in England are responsible for drafting and making available their own scheme for determining the priorities to be followed in allocating social housing. However, under s.167 of the Housing Act 1996 an allocation scheme must be framed to ensure that 'reasonable preference' (i.e. overall priority) for social housing is given to the following categories of people:
	people who are homeless or owed certain duties under the homelessness legislation
	people living in insanitary, overcrowded or unsatisfactory housing
	people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including ground relating to a disability
	people who need to a particular locality in the district to avoid hardship to themselves or others

Social Services: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of revenue spending power allocated to Warrington borough council for 2011-12 he plans to allocate to NHS support for social care.

Bob Neill: The Government are providing £1 billion of additional funding by 2014-15, through the Health budget to break down the barriers between health and social care. Warrington primary care trust will transfer £2.242 million to Warrington borough council in 2011-12 to support social care and benefit health. The Government have set out how the NHS should use this funding to support social care in the 2011-12 Operating Framework, published on 15 December.

Third Sector: Finance

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the community and voluntary sector of reductions in the levels of Government funding.

Andrew Stunell: Spending decisions are, and will continue to be, a matter for local authorities. We have a rich diversity of voluntary organisations, charities, faith groups, cooperatives, social enterprises and local housing trusts-all of who already make a huge contribution to local life. The Big Society means using their potential and involving them even more in delivering what people want. We do not expect local authorities to respond by passing on disproportionate cuts to other service providers, especially the voluntary sector.
	The Government are directing at least £470 million over the spending review period to support capacity building in the voluntary sector, including a £100 million Transition Fund as short-term support for voluntary sector organisations providing public services.

Voluntary Organisations

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with Nottinghamshire county council on  (a) local authority funding for the voluntary sector in Ashfield constituency and  (b) implementation of the Government's Big Society initiative.

Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to my speech to the SOLACE conference of 14 October 2010. A copy of the associated departmental press notice is available in the Library of the House. Ministers have had, and will have, a series of discussions with local councils on the Local Government Funding Settlement.
	Improvements in commissioning processes, the community rights agenda and the development of alternative forms of finance will all help to ensure the long-term sustainability of the voluntary sector when it is most needed by individuals and local communities and in the delivery of the Big Society.

Weather

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on proposals for a national winter emergency plan; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: I received a number of representations from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents but as these raised issues that were for the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), they were forwarded to his Department to respond.
	More broadly, I would note on 6 December DCLG published new 'Guidance on community action during severe weather: The Big Society in action'. The guidance challenges misconceptions about health and safety laws getting in the way of action and volunteering and sets out how individuals can survive the ice and snow and help their neighbours to do the same. It also emphasises the importance of providing support to older people, by calling in regularly on elderly friends, neighbours and relatives to see if they need help staying warm or with getting provisions and by letting them know about AgeUK's well-being advice and provides the charity's helpline for those who may be concerned about older people. I have placed a copy in the Library.

Welsh Language

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department last published a Welsh language scheme in accordance with the provisions of the Welsh Language Act 1993; and at which web addresses such schemes can be accessed in  (a) Welsh and  (b) English.

Bob Neill: The Department continues to operate the Welsh language publication scheme agreed under our predecessor department, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) in July 2001.
	The Welsh language scheme is currently available in Welsh and English on the Department's intranet.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2010,  Official Report, column 206W, on carbon sequestration, what the reason is for the additional time taken to award the contract for the first carbon capture and storage demonstration project given that there is only one applicant for the contract.

Charles Hendry: Although there is now only one bidder for the contract it remains important that we carry out full and detailed negotiations with Scottish Power in order to secure an affordable outcome and establish appropriate commercial terms for the Project to secure best value for money. Within these constraints we are aiming to accelerate the negotiations to allow us to finalise the contract as quickly as possible.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Construction

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what conditions on carbon emissions will be included in the emissions performance standard for new coal-fired power stations.

Charles Hendry: The Government, in the coalition agreement, committed to establish an Emissions Performance Standard (EPS) that will prevent new coal-fired power stations being built unless they are equipped with sufficient carbon capture and storage (CCS).
	On 16 December the Government launched a consultation on reform of the electricity market, which includes a number of proposals for the EPS. We are consulting on a mechanism to provide an effective regulatory backstop to control emissions from new coal-fired power stations, whilst supporting the demonstration of carbon capture and storage (CCS). The EPS will sit alongside a system of rewards and incentives for low carbon generation, the building blocks of which are considered in the Electricity Market Reform consultation and the related consultation on carbon price support. Links to these can be found on the DECC website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/consultations

Coal Fired Power Stations: Construction

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the building of coal-fired power stations.

Charles Hendry: Government policy is to prevent the construction and operation of new unabated coal-fired power stations, while supporting the demonstration of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which is critical in allowing fossil fuel power stations to operate in a carbon constrained world. The Government will not consent coal-fired powers stations that do not have CCS equipped to a proportion of their capacity, and is currently consulting on planning requirements for England and Wales to achieve this as part of the revised draft National Policy Statements. Planning in Scotland is a devolved matter for Scottish Ministers.
	In addition, on 16 December the Government launched a consultation on reform of the electricity market in Great Britain. This contains detailed proposals on the establishment of an Emissions Performance Standard (EPS), which will act as a regulatory backstop to prevent the construction and operation of unabated coal-fired power stations, and sit alongside a system of rewards and incentives for low-carbon generation.

Departmental Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps  (a) his Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have taken to comply with the Guidance of the Office of Government Commerce on promoting skills through public procurement issued in 2009.

Gregory Barker: The Department and its non-departmental bodies have taken the following steps to fully comply with the Guidance of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) on promoting skills through public procurement.
	All tenders issued follow OGC best practice guidance. The Department and its arms length bodies use pre-qualification documents and invitations to tender based on OGC documents. Procurement staff seek opportunities to promote skills training and apprenticeships in contracts wherever appropriate. Staff are provided with relevant training and development and have the opportunity to achieve full accreditation as a Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS).

Energy: Housing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what forecast of the likely average level of household energy use his Department used in its calculation of the potential for household energy saving resulting from retrofitted energy efficiency measures paid for by loans through the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The current assumptions being used by DECC to calculate the potential for energy savings are published in the Green Deal Development Stage Impact Assessment alongside the Energy Bill.
	The variation in household energy use by property type (e.g. solid wall or cavity wall) means that different levels of energy use are used in the calculation of potential energy savings from the retrofitting of different types of energy efficiency measures.
	A typical household in 2020 is assumed to be a reasonably well-insulated three-bed semi-detached household (with cavity wall insulation, and some loft insulation), which heats its living areas to 22°C. This assumes that households will progressively take more comfort and increase their heating requirements over time, in line with recent trends. Assuming the house is heated using an 85% efficient boiler in 2020 (78% in 2010) then the level of gas needed for heating and hot water would be 23,100kWh a year or 16,000kWh for heating only.

Energy: Housing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what forecast of the likely average level of household energy use his Department used in its calculation of the potential for energy savings for households in the social housing sector resulting from retrofitted energy efficiency measures paid for by loans through the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The current assumptions being used by DECC to calculate the potential for energy savings are published in the Green Deal Development Stage Impact Assessment alongside the Energy Bill.
	The variation in household energy use by property type (e.g. solid wall or cavity wall) means that different levels of energy use are used in the calculation of potential energy savings from the retrofitting of different types of energy efficiency measures. The impact assessment did not make separate calculations for households in the social housing sector.
	An average household in 2020 is projected to be a reasonably well-insulated three-bed semi-detached household (with cavity wall insulation, and some loft insulation), which heats its living areas to 22°C. This assumes that households will progressively take more comfort and increase their heating requirements over time, in line with recent trends. Assuming the house is heated using an 85% efficient boiler in 2020 (78% in 2010) then the level of gas needed for heating and hot water would be 23,100kWh a year or 16,000kWh for heating only.

Energy: Housing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department made of the likely annual energy cost savings per household in the social housing sector resulting from retrofitted energy efficiency measures paid for by loans through the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Details of the illustrative estimates of annual energy cost savings per household as a result of different energy efficiency measures can be found in the annexes of the Green Deal Development Stage Impact Assessment, published alongside the Energy Bill. Energy cost savings are calculated by combining assumed energy use savings with projected future energy prices, which can be found on the DECC website.
	The Green Deal Development Stage Impact Assessment did not make separate calculations for households in the social housing sector.
	It is worth noting that the impact assessment does not separate the benefits of the possible Green Deal finance regime from those of a potential future energy company obligation. Consequently it does not anticipate how the measures will be paid for.

Energy: Housing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department made of the likely annual energy cost savings per household as a result of retrofitted energy efficiency measures paid for by loans through the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Details of the current illustrative estimates of annual energy cost savings per household as a result of different energy efficiency measures can be found in the annexes of the Green Deal Impact Assessment, published alongside the Energy Bill. Energy cost savings are calculated by combining the assumed energy use savings with the estimated future energy prices, which can be found on the DECC website.
	It is worth noting that the impact assessment does not separate the possible benefits of the Green Deal finance regime from those of the potential future energy company obligation. Consequently it does not anticipate how the measures will be paid for.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the smart metering go-live phase prior to the establishment of the central data and communications entity to begin.

Charles Hendry: The Government and Ofgem published a Smart Metering Prospectus for consultation in July.
	This set out proposals for how smart metering will be delivered. We are reviewing the extensive responses to the consultation and undertaking further stakeholder engagement and analysis. This work includes the development of the timetable for the rollout of smart meters, including the phase prior to the establishment of the central data and communications function. A response to the consultation will be published in the new year.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the key priority areas for pilot smart meter trials to be identified; and by what means the  (a) format,  (b) scope and  (c) success criteria of pilot schemes will be decided.

Charles Hendry: A range of practical trials which will provide information relevant to the roll-out of smart meters in Great Britain are already underway, as part of the Energy Demand Research Project and the Low Carbon Networks Fund, both of which are managed by Ofgem. Energy suppliers will carry out further trialling of smart metering systems for which specifications are currently being developed, in the run-up to large-scale roll-out.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects  (a) the Smart Meter Design Group and  (b) the Data and Communication Group to (i) complete their work and (ii) publish any findings on smart metering.

Charles Hendry: The Government and Ofgem published a "Smart Metering Prospectus" for consultation in July.
	This set out proposals for how smart metering will be delivered. We are reviewing the extensive responses to the consultation and undertaking further stakeholder engagement and analysis. The work of the Smart Meter Design Group and the Data and Communication Group is informing this process and the outputs of their work are being published on Ofgem's website. A response to the consultation will be published in the new year.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to publish final proposals arising from the consultation on the proposals contained in the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus.

Charles Hendry: The Government and Ofgem, published a "Smart Metering Prospectus" for consultation in July. This set out proposals for how smart metering will be delivered, including design requirements, central communications, data management and the approach to rollout. We are reviewing the extensive responses to the consultation, and undertaking further stakeholder engagement and analysis. A response to the consultation will be published in the new year.

Energy: Prices

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to increase the transparency of energy tariffs for households; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Energy Bill, introduced into the House of Lords on 8 December, includes proposals to require energy suppliers to inform consumers through their bills about the cheapest available tariff to give customers greater control over their energy costs. Full details of the Bill are available online at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldbills/033/11033.52-58.html#j031
	In addition, Ofgem announced a review of the retail energy market to decide if further changes are needed to ensure the market works in the interests of consumers and to increase transparency. Ofgem will report on this review in March of next year. This announcement is available online at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Documents1/Retail%20Market%2026%20November.pdf

Energy: Prices

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with  (a) energy and  (b) water suppliers on (i) energy prices and (ii) levels of infrastructure funding; and if he will bring forward proposals to establish a mechanism to ensure increases in suppliers' operating profit are passed on to the consumer.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with suppliers on a regular basis to discuss market issues. Meetings with the water suppliers are a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs.
	We have no current plans to bring forward such proposals. However, we agree it is important that consumers have the lowest possible energy bills, consistent with the need to invest to reduce carbon emissions from energy and ensure security of supply.
	Ofgem, therefore, monitors the market closely and reports quarterly on retail prices. Their latest report shows significant increases in estimated supplier margins for the year ahead, largely due to recent price increases. We are disappointed on behalf of consumers by this development and welcome the announcement of Ofgem's review of the retail market. Ofgem will report on this review in March of next year. This announcement is available online at:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Documents1/Retail%20Market%2026%20November.pdf

Environment Protection: Job Creation

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the number of green jobs that will be created in York by 2015.

Gregory Barker: Government-commissioned research indicates that, in 2008-09, employment in the UK Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services sector was approximately 910,000, including those employed in the supply chain of these industries, and is projected to increase to over a million by middle of the decade. The research includes regional job estimates, including for Yorkshire and Humber. The research is available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/Policies/business-sectors/low-carbon-business-opportunities/market-intelligence

Feed-in Tariffs

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for the implementation of the provisions of the feed-in tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Formation Order 2010); and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Feed-in Tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Functions) Order 2010 (Statutory Instrument No.678) came into force on 1 April 2010. Together with modifications to the standard conditions of electricity supply licenses, it forms the basis for the implementation of the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme.
	The coalition Government are fully committed to the implementation of FITs. To ensure that the scheme continues to be delivered as envisaged we are intending to bring forward some minor procedural amendments to the Order early in the new year. Additionally, the recent spending review confirmed that the first formal review of FITs will take place in 2012, taking effect in April 2013, unless higher than expected deployment requires an early review.

Fuel Poverty: Finance

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that householders at each  (a) income level and  (b) credit risk level will be able to access finance under the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Green Deal arrangements will be financed by private companies, and we are in discussions with a range of potential providers, who have expressed interest in targeting customers from all income brackets. The credit risk of individual Green Deal customers should not be so relevant as with a standard credit arrangement as the charge will pass across to any subsequent bill-payer.
	We will design the new Energy Company Obligation, which will take over from the current CERT and CESP when they come to an end, in a way that complements Green Deal finance arrangements, ensuring that further support is available for those in need of additional help, including low income vulnerable households.

Fuel Poverty: Meters

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons his Department's impact assessment for the roll-out of smart meters, dated July 2010, did not contain information on the effects of the roll-out on the vulnerable and the fuel-poor comparable to that in the impact assessment dated April 2007, entitled Appraisal for Costs and Benefits of Smart Metering: Roll Out Options, Final Report; and what consideration he has given to providing  (a) a dedicated help line,  (b) marketing campaigns,  (c) consumer protection in relation to display and meter functionality and  (d) changes to existing energy company licence conditions in order to provide protection from (i) aggressive sales and marketing and (ii) doorstep mis-selling for the vulnerable and fuel-poor.

Charles Hendry: The Appraisal of Costs and Benefits dated "April 2007" (and published in May 2008) was a report undertaken by Mott Macdonald for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). Impact Assessments produced from 2008 by BERR and more recently by DECC have assessed the costs and benefits of the roll-out to all customers. The impact of the roll-out on the vulnerable is specifically considered in the Equality Section of the Impact Assessment and remains a core aspect of the work of the Smart Meters Implementation Programme.
	A positive consumer experience is key to delivering the benefits of smart metering. In the Prospectus published in July 2010 we sought views on the approach to consumer engagement and protection, including the functional requirements for meters and in-home displays, and the installation visits. We are reviewing the extensive responses to the consultation and undertaking further stakeholder engagement and analysis. In doing so we are taking account of the significant contribution made by Consumer Focus in this area. A response to the consultation will be published in the new year.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions attributable to thermal energy-from-waste facilities including incinerators.

Gregory Barker: Estimates from the UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory indicate that emissions attributable to thermal energy-from-waste facilities are as shown in the following table. These figures relate to 2008, the most recent year for which final data are available, and include emissions from both fossil carbon and biogenic sources.
	
		
			  Gas  Emissions (kilotonnes carbon dioxide equivalent) 
			 Carbon dioxide (CO2) 2,476 
			 Methane (CH4) 55 
			 Nitrous oxide (N2O) 24 
			 Total 2,555

Northern Ireland Executive

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates he has had discussions on his Department's work with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had discussions with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive relating to his Department's work since the coalition Government took office in May 2010. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and I have had discussions with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of issues over that period, including at Joint Ministerial Committee, European Council and British-Irish Council meetings.

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2010,  Official Report, column 933W, on nuclear power stations: construction, what steps he plans to take in response to the report on nuclear lessons learned.

Charles Hendry: The Department welcomes the publication of the "Engineering the Future: Nuclear Lessons Learned" report, and the recommendations contained in it. In response, the Department will be participating in the work being led by the Institute for Civil Engineers to undertake an ongoing knowledge capture and dissemination exercise, to ensure that the report stays up to date.

Tidal Power

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to provide long-term revenue support for marine renewable technologies.

Charles Hendry: We are committed to the full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity-as well as the maintenance of banded renewable obligation certificates. We have already brought forward the scheduled review of the renewable obligation by a year to give investors confidence As part of the electricity market reforms, we have set out plans for support for Marine, and other renewables and low carbon technologies, for the longer term.

Warm Front Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department conducted an equality impact assessment of the potential effects on women of the reduction in funding for the Warm Front scheme.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 20 December 2010
	As part of the spending review, the Government will continue to fund a smaller, targeted Warm Front programme for the next two years, with £110 million available in 2011-12 and £100 million in 2012-13 for the scheme. We are currently consulting on proposed changes to the scheme's eligibility criteria so that it better targets the most vulnerable.
	An equality impact assessment has been carried out on the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria. None of the proposed changes is found to discriminate against women.

Water Power: Finance

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for the long-term funding of marine renewable technologies.

Gregory Barker: The Government's commitment to the marine renewables sector is clearly reflected in the Coalition Agreement.
	The Government are currently developing its detailed plans for the allocation of the £200 million to support the development of energy technologies announced in the Spending Review-and measures to support wave and tidal technologies are being considered as part of that process.
	A scheduled review of renewables obligation support for all technologies, including for marine energy, began this year, and we have already brought forward the timetable for this review by a year. Any changes will still take effect from 1 April 2013 for marine renewables, but we will now consult on bands next Summer, rather than in 2012. As part of the electricity market reform, we will be setting out plans for support for marine, and other renewables, for the longer term.

Water Power: Finance

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to encourage the commercial deployment of wave and tidal energy technologies.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 20 December 2010
	The Government is committed to harnessing the benefits which a successful marine renewables sector can bring to the UK. We plan to establish a UK marine energy programme in collaboration with the marine energy sector, focusing the sector's ability to develop and deploy wave and tidal energy devices at a commercial scale.
	The Government are currently developing its detailed plans for the allocation of the £200 million to support the development of energy technologies announced in the Spending Review-and measures to support wave and tidal technologies are being considered as part of that process.
	A scheduled review of renewables obligation support for all technologies, including for marine energy, began this year, and we have already brought forward the timetable for this review by a year. Any changes will still take effect from 1 April 2013 for marine renewables, but we will now consult on bands next summer, rather than in 2012.
	As part of the electricity market reform, we will be setting out plans for support for low carbon technologies, such as marine, in the longer term.

Weather

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on proposals for a national winter emergency plan; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Bolton West (Julie Hilling) by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton) on 22 November 2010,  Official Report, column 168W.

Wind Power: Subsidies

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of subsidies given to wind farms in 2010-11.

Charles Hendry: The latest data available (as of 16 December 2010) on the Ofgem ROC Register shows that 2,884,118 ROCs were issued to onshore wind farms between April 2010 and September 2010; and 1,837,475 ROCs to offshore wind farms over the same period is available at:
	https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/Public/ReportManager.aspx?ReportVisibility=1&ReportCategory=0
	The expected value of a ROC under headroom is the buy-out price (£36.99 in 2010-11) plus 10%. On this basis, the estimated value from the RO is around £117 million between April 2010 and September 2010 for onshore wind, and around £75 million for offshore wind.
	Wind installations of less than 5 MW are also eligible for feed-in tariffs. Information on feed-in tariffs in the form requested is not yet available. However, live information on the number of installations registered for FITs, broken down by technology and tariff band, is available from the Ofgem register. Under FITs, generators receive a tariff for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated which differs by technology type and scale. The generation tariffs for wind in 2010-11 are reproduced in the following table. Generators also receive an additional payment of 3p/kWh of electricity exported.
	
		
			  Scale  Generation tariff for 2010-11 (p/kWh) 
			 Wind <1.5 kW 34.5 
			 Wind >1.5-15 kW 26.7 
			 Wind >15-100 kW 24.1 
			 Wind >100-500 kW 18.8 
			 Wind >500 kW-1.5 MW 9.4 
			 Wind >1.5 MW-5 MW 4.5

SCOTLAND

Scotland Bill

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the economic effects of the provisions of Part 3 of the Scotland Bill on  (a) Cumbria and  (b) other areas of (i) England and (ii) Scotland close to the border between Scotland and England.

David Mundell: The Scotland Bill delivers the Government's coalition commitment to implement the recommendations in the Final Report of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. An impact assessment was published at introduction of the Scotland Bill for the taxation provisions within the Bill. The impact assessment identifies that there are cross-border implications for employees and employers on either side of the English-Scottish border. A copy of the impact assessment is available in the Library of the House.
	The impact assessment does not address non-taxation matters within the Bill as the Scotland Bill provides for the transfers of powers between the UK and Scottish Parliaments and Governments, but does not provide for the alteration of policy effect.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Forestry Commission: Land

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2010,  Official Report, column 146W, on Forestry Commission: land, what the name is of each commercial company with which  (a) she and  (b) Ministers in her Department have had discussions on the Government's proposals to consult on the future of the public forest estate in England.

James Paice: I have not held any formal ministerial consultations with commercial forestry interests, although I have met a range of representatives from the forestry sector, including non-government organisations and commercial companies, in the course of large scale events such as the APF International Forestry Expo in September. At that event I and the Confederation of Forest Industries (UK) Ltd (an industry representative body) discussed and listened to views on forestry management and the public forest estate from a wide variety of industry bodies.
	The Secretary of State has not had discussions with any commercial companies about the future of the public forest estate.

Agriculture

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department has issued to the pig and poultry industry on exposure of the animal population to the  (a) H5N1 and  (b) H1N1 virus.

James Paice: holding answer 16 December 2010
	DEFRA monitors the occurrence of major animal disease outbreaks world wide as an early warning to assess the risk these events may pose to the UK. It carries out qualitative risk assessments and preliminary outbreak assessments to estimate the likelihood of the disease entering the UK and these are published on the DEFRA website.
	Most recently, on 6 December 2010, DEFRA published a preliminary outbreak assessment relating to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in poultry in Japan. This concluded that while there was no additional risk from this particular outbreak, there is a continual low risk of introduction of avian notifiable disease into the UK and EU poultry population through contact with wild birds where the viruses are circulating. The guidance to the poultry industry remains that it is important to maintain biosecurity on poultry premises and reduce the level of contact with wild birds as far as possible, as well as reporting suspicion of disease promptly to the veterinary authorities.
	In August 2009 industry and Government published a Code of Practice for pig keepers relating to influenza in pigs. The code provides clear guidance to pig keepers on the actions they should take to reduce the risk of introduction of influenza viruses, including pandemic H1N1, to pig herds and to prevent disease leaving the premises should this occur.
	Various influenza A virus strains are endemic in most pig keeping countries worldwide, including the UK, with the pandemic strain of H1N1 first detected in pigs in England in late 2009. Since 1991, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency has operated a surveillance scheme to monitor the strains present in the GB herd, publishing results regularly.

Animal Products: EC Law

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on simplification of the implementation of the European Animal By-Products Regulation.

James Paice: DEFRA recently completed a consultation exercise on new domestic Regulations to implement and enforce the new Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 laying down health rules regarding animal by-products which comes into force in March 2011. A number of representations were received and a Government response will be made available shortly.

Animal Products: Waste Disposal

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition of a covered area is used in  (a) the European Animal By-Products Regulation and  (b) the implementing legislation for the UK.

James Paice: Regulation (EC) 1774/2002 laying down health rules regarding animal by-products does not specifically define 'covered area' but does make it a requirement for certain plants to have a 'covered area' for receiving animal by-products. This regulation will be replaced in March 2011 by Regulation 1069/2009(EC) which will not substantively change the requirements in this regard. As an EU regulation, the legislation is directly applicable in all member states so UK legislation only provides powers to enforce that legislation.
	Animal Health is responsible for the approval and inspection of such plants under this legislation and is able to provide further guidance where needed.

Animal Welfare

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent scientific advice she has received on the exposure of the animal population in the United Kingdom to the  (a) H5N1 and  (b) H1N1 virus.

James Paice: holding answer 16 December 2010
	The UK carries out annual surveys for avian influenza (A1) in poultry and wild birds. The purpose of the poultry survey is to detect Al of subtypes H5 and H7 in different species of poultry. The purpose of the wild bird survey is to detect highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses through sampling of wild birds found dead and investigation of the cause of death of large numbers of birds ("mass mortality events"). In addition, since H5N1 is a notifiable form of A1, specific investigations are also carried out by Animal Health following reports of illness in birds where suspect disease cannot be initially ruled out. No active infection with H5N1 has been detected in poultry or wild birds so far this year, either from surveillance or routine reports of suspect disease. DEFRA also elicits scientific advice from a panel of expert ornithologists (British Trust for Ornithology, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and Scottish Natural Heritage among others) about wild bird movements and has done so recently in relation to recent adverse weather conditions.
	The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has continued to run the DEFRA-funded surveillance for influenza viruses in pigs since 1991. The report from August 2010 indicates that pandemic H1N1 continues to circulate at a low level in pigs in the UK this year (following first detection in pigs in late 2009). There are no reported UK infections with this virus in other domestic livestock populations.
	Reports on surveillance are published on the VLA website.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the effects on animal welfare of live animal performances in circuses; and what her policy is on live animal performances in circuses.

James Paice: DEFRA officials and veterinarians have considered a variety of relevant scientific research publications which, in turn, were evaluated by a panel of academics and veterinarians to inform a report commissioned by DEFRA in 2006 on the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses. Additionally, last year veterinarians looked at the scientific review "Are wild animals suited to a travelling circus life?" by the University of Bristol (lossa et al, Animal Welfare 2009, 18; 129-140).
	We are currently considering the 13,000 or so responses to our consultation on the use of wild animals in circuses before we publish a summary. In the meantime, Lord Henley has been meeting with representatives of welfare groups and the circus industry. An industry body has proposed a self-regulatory system, but no decisions have been made.

Badgers

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the licensing and monitoring systems that would be required for a cull of badgers undertaken by her Department.

James Paice: As stated in the consultation impact assessment, costs to be incurred by Government for licensing are estimated at £26,000 for a 150km(2) application area.
	This is based on receiving a modest number of applications and includes assessing applications and monitoring compliance. It does not include costs for setting up the licensing system which are yet to be determined. Costs to be incurred by Government for monitoring are estimated at £200 per km(2) of participating land. This includes monitoring badger population numbers, humaneness of the methods used, epidemiological monitoring of the disease and monitoring protected sites. These costs will be refined in the final impact assessment.

Birds of Prey: Crime

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the Raptor Working Group Report on  (a) enforcement of measures and  (b) recording of crimes against birds of prey.

Richard Benyon: Action to tackle crimes against birds of prey has continued since the publication of the UK Raptor Working Group report in 2000, which, among other things, recommended enhanced enforcement of existing legislation. For the last four years the persecution of birds of prey has been a wildlife crime priority for the UK. This priority has been addressed through action plans which include prevention, intelligence and enforcement measures aimed at delivering a targeted, focused tactical response.
	The National Wildlife Crime Unit (part funded by Government) gathers, records and monitors information and intelligence about illegal activities affecting birds of prey. It uses this information to support the wildlife crime priority action plans, as well as to assist individual enforcers in their investigations. It also works closely with all the UK administrations as species conservation is a devolved matter.

Camels: Bovine Tuberculosis

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what treatments her Department permits to be carried out on camelids suspected of carrying tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: holding answer 16 December 2010
	DEFRA does not recommend any treatment for animals suspected of carrying tuberculosis (TB). In fact, anti-TB treatment is specifically prohibited in cattle and deer. There are several sound scientific and public health reasons why treatment should not take place in any TB-susceptible animals, including the fact that treatment can mask the reactions to the TB tests in infected animals, thus causing false negative results and also valid concerns around the possible development of antibiotic drug-resistant strains of the bacterium. Because of this, if an animal has been treated for TB, DEFRA and its agencies will need to amend or suspend normal testing procedures to ensure that any infection does not go undetected.
	There are no veterinary drugs licensed in the UK for the treatment of TB in cattle or other mammals. However, under the veterinary medicines cascade system private veterinary surgeons are not prevented from prescribing human medicines to treat TB, though they would need to consider carefully with a camelid owner the practical, public health and veterinary implications of using an unlicensed, untested human medicine in this way.
	It is for those reasons that DEFRA'S advice has been (and continues to be) that any suspect clinical cases of TB in known infected camelid herds should be immediately notified to Animal Health and culled, rather than subject to treatment regimes of questionable efficacy in animals.

Carbon Emissions: Business

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made on the implementation of Section 85(1)(a) of the Climate Change Act 2008.

James Paice: holding answer 13 December 2010
	 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) on 27 October 2010,  Official Report, column 319W.

Dairy Farming

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions the Food and Farming Minister has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government on the likely effect on the character of rural areas of large-scale, intensive, indoor dairy production units.

James Paice: I have had no discussions with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government on the likely effect of large scale, intensive, indoor dairy production units on the character of the local countryside. The impact of any specific proposal on the local countryside would be for the appropriate planning authorities to consider.

Dairy Farming

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effect of intensive indoor milk production units on (i) traditional dairy farmers, (ii) the milk processing industry, (iii) local rural economies and (iv) rural management.

James Paice: DEFRA has not commissioned or evaluated any specific research into these aspects of intensive indoor milk production. There is, however, ongoing research into other aspects, including animal welfare.
	The impacts of intensive indoor milk production units on traditional dairy farmers, the milk processing industry, local rural economies and rural management will depend to a large extent upon the future demand profile for UK production of milk and the extent to which such facilities increase.
	At the next dairy supply chain forum, which I chair, I will be challenging the industry to take the opportunity to secure its own resilient and sustainable future and the ongoing demand for UK milk production, initially by redressing the current trade deficit for dairy products in the UK consumer market.
	Dairy farms must comply with all the relevant legislation, including environmental legislation, whatever the size of unit or system of production.

Dairy Farming

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has considered the establishment of minimum separation distances between large scale, intensive, indoor dairy production units and residential areas.

James Paice: We have not considered the establishment of minimum separation distances between large scale, intensive, indoor dairy production units and residential areas. Such issues are within the remit of the planning authorities.

Dangerous Dogs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provisions on breed-specific prohibitions contained in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

James Paice: Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and the 1871 Dogs Act already allow action to be taken against a dog of any type or breed if it is deemed to be behaving dangerously.
	Nevertheless, a proposal to add or remove types of dogs to or from the prohibited list was included in DEFRA's consultation on dangerous dog legislation. The summary of responses to the consultation can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/dangerous-doqs/index.htm
	The issue of dangerous dogs is not just a problem of dangerous breeds but also one of bad owners. They need to be held to account and stopped from ruining people's lives. We are working closely with ministerial colleagues in the Home Office on the antisocial behaviour dimension to this issue. We are also working with groups such as the RSPCA to look at other issues raised in the consultation, such as breed-specific bans, micro-chipping and attacks on private property.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Lord Henley) is due to announce the Government's approach to dangerous dogs early in the new year.

Dangerous Dogs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many seizures of dogs under the terms of section 5 (1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 there were in  (a) England and  (b) Wales in the last 10 years.

James Paice: Figures for the number of dogs seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are not collected centrally.

Dangerous Dogs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what her policy is on the extension of the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to private dwellings;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received on the extension of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to private dwellings; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: A proposal to issue dog control notices on private land was included in DEFRA's consultation on dangerous dog legislation. DEFRA received 3,215 responses on this issue, of which 37% were in favour and 63% opposed. The summary of responses to the consultation can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/dangerous-dogs/index.htm
	The issue of dangerous dogs is not just a problem of dangerous breeds but also one of bad owners. They need to be held to account and stopped from ruining people's lives. We are working closely with ministerial colleagues in the Home Office on the antisocial behaviour dimension to this issue. We are also working with groups such as the RSPCA to look at other issues raised in the consultation, such as breed-specific bans, micro-chipping and attacks on private property.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Lord Henley) is due to announce the Government's approach to dangerous dogs early in the new year.

Dangerous Dogs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many entries have been made on the Index of Exempted Dogs in each year since 1991; and in respect of which types of dog such entries were made.

James Paice: Over 8,000 dogs were initially placed on the Index when the 1991 Act came into force. From early 1992 to 1997 no dogs were allowed to be added to the Index. Since the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997 was passed, any court has been able to order that a specific dog be added to the Index by the issue of a court order. To date only one of the dogs placed on the Index has been a non-pitbull type and that was a Japanese Tosa.
	The following table shows the numbers of dogs added to the Index of Exempted Dogs between 1997 and 2009, inclusive.
	
		
			   Certificates of exemption issued 
			 1997 9 
			 1998 36 
			 1999 26 
			 2000 15 
			 2001 4 
			 2002 7 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 6 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 6 
			 2007 141 
			 2008 255 
			 2009 314 
		
	
	Data for 2010 are planned for publication next year.

Departmental Overtime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on overtime for staff working within her private office in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: It is not possible to identify how much has been spent on overtime specifically for staff working in the Secretary of State's office as this information is not held centrally. The following table shows how much was spent on overtime and the private secretary allowance for staff working in all of the Department's Minister's private offices and the permanent secretary's office in each of the last five financial years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Overtime  Private secretary allowance  Total 
			 2005-06 214,872 29,841 244,713 
			 2006-07 92,615 46,229 138,844 
			 2007-08 27,710 81,572 109,282 
			 2008-09 17,104 103,553 120,657 
			 2009-10 15,808 64,728 80,536 
		
	
	Historically, on entering private office, staff had the option to either claim overtime for extra hours worked in excess of conditioned hours or to receive the Private Secretary Allowance. Staff were not allowed to receive both. In more recent years, however, DEFRA's approach has been for staff to claim the allowance rather than overtime. The allowance is an annual allowance and is currently paid at an annual level of: £6,802 for staff at Grade 7 and above; £4,107 for staff at senior executive officer, higher executive officer and fast stream; and £3,474 for staff at other grades.

Departmental Pay

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff employed by her Department were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: There are no staff in DEFRA, within the London pay ranges, who are paid a full-time equivalent at or below the London living wage.

Departmental Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible have taken to comply with the Guidance of the Office of Government Commerce on promoting skills through public procurement issued in 2009.

Richard Benyon: The Department, its agencies and non-departmental bodies closely collaborate on all matters related to procurement and this includes promoting skills in public procurement. This collaboration and active participation includes and is not limited to the following:
	Participating in the OGC Graduate Programme for Procurement.
	Participating in the SWITCH programme, taking non-procurement civil servants into the Procurement and Commercial Function and arranging training to CIPS level.
	Defining job descriptions for all levels of the procurement function and making these levels available to staff so they know what they need to do to move to procurement or the next level.
	Arranging and attending legal seminars on current legal topics in the EU procurement field.
	Arranging 'soft skills' training courses on negotiation skills and presentation skills.
	Participating with and providing input to the OGC Rewards Programme designed to make procurement a 'profession'.
	Greater and more detailed visibility of procurement on the departmental intranet.
	Introducing and controlling with business areas the skills required for improved contract management.
	Encouraging CIPS training in all areas.
	Providing 'Senior Awareness' sessions on procurement.
	Publication of a 'Pocket Guide to Procurement'.
	Regular joint sessions with all bodies covering all areas of procurement collaboration.
	Providing a central website for procurement information for all procurement staff in all bodies.

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) steps she is taking to encourage small businesses to bid for contracts let by her Department and  (b) recent guidance she has provided to small businesses on bidding for such contracts.

Richard Benyon: All procurements are conducted under the government and EU guidelines and preference is not allowed to be shown to any particular possible suppliers groups. However, where requirements are known to be possibly satisfied by some supplier groups, then action is taken to make these possible suppliers aware that an opportunity is available and directs them to where information on the bid requirements can be found.
	Government action on the Transparency Agenda has provided the processes for publication of tenders issued and contracts awarded. From next April 2011, all tender opportunities over £10,000 and in some cases those under this value, will be published on the Government Contracts Finder website. This replaces the current process where businesses can find opportunities on the Supply2Gov website. All supplier groups are encouraged to register on the website and can receive automatic email notifications of opportunities. The Department also uses other solutions to provide information to suppliers about opportunities.
	The Department has not written directly to small businesses as this would contravene Government and EU procurement regulations. It is understood that the Cabinet Office Efficiency Reform Group have had discussions with appropriate industry bodies representing small businesses to advise them of the new processes for tender opportunities and encourage them to get their members to register so that the relevant notifications of opportunities can be provided.

Departmental Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with voluntary and community groups on bidding for contracts let by her Department.

Richard Benyon: The Department in its role of ensuring that its objectives are satisfied, talks to many bodies from different sectors, including voluntary and community groups.
	All procurements are conducted under the government and EU guidelines and preference is not allowed to be shown to any particular possible suppliers groups. However, where requirements are known to be possibly satisfied by some supplier groups, then action is taken to make these possible suppliers aware that an opportunity is available and directs them to where information on the bid requirements can be found.
	Government action on the Transparency Agenda has provided the processes for publication of tenders issued and contracts awarded. From next April 2011, all tender opportunities over £10,000 and in some cases those under this value, will be published on the Government Contracts Finder website. This replaces the current process where businesses can find opportunities on the Supply2Gov website. All supplier groups are encouraged to register on the website and can receive automatic email notifications of opportunities.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the effect of the increase in the standard rate of value added tax on her Department's annual expenditure.

Richard Benyon: An estimate of the effect of the increase was made when DEFRA was preparing its submission for the 2010 spending review, but the impact on the Department's budget was found to be negligible.
	Departmental spending review settlements are set on a tax-inclusive basis, including the increase to the standard rate of VAT; there is no business requirement for this information, which means that it is not possible to determine the exact level of irrecoverable VAT.

Dogs:Tagging

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on compulsory microchipping of dogs.

James Paice: A proposal for all dogs to be compulsorily microchipped was included in DEFRA's consultation on dangerous dog legislation. DEFRA received 1,875 responses on this issue, of which 84% were in favour and 16% opposed. We are currently working with groups such as the RSPCA to look at a range of issues raised in the consultation, including micro-chipping.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Lord Henley) is due to announce the Government's approach to dangerous dogs early in the new year.

Environment Protection: Business

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to extend the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 to cover  (a) water utility and  (b) other private companies; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) decided on 23 November 2010 that water and sewerage companies and water only companies are not public authorities for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIRs).
	DEFRA is currently examining the extent to which environmental information held by water and sewerage companies and water only companies is already available to the public.
	The Government are not considering any proposals to amend the definition of public authorities in the EIR's at this time.

Insurance Premiums

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of properties which have insurance cover which is attributable to the July 2008 statement of principles agreed between her Department and the insurance industry.

Richard Benyon: No estimate has been made of the number of properties with insurance cover where that cover is attributable to the statement of principles between Government and the insurance industry. Insurers' decisions on provision of cover in flood risk areas are guided by the statement of principles, and are commercially confidential decisions.

Landfill

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support her Department provides to companies to develop schemes to reduce the use of landfill; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: On 16 December, DEFRA published the final results from a survey of commercial and industrial waste in England. The results show that the amount of commercial and industrial waste sent to landfill in 2009 was 11.3 million tonnes, compared to 27.7 million tonnes in 2002.
	The Government are carrying out a review of waste policies in England, due to be completed in spring 2011. The review is looking at ways of encouraging further improvements in waste prevention and recycling by businesses, including SMEs. This includes exploring voluntary responsibility deals with particular sectors.

Mackerel: Quotas

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take following the break down of negotiations with Iceland and the Faroe Islands on mackerel quotas.

Richard Benyon: I am very disappointed that it has not been possible to reach an agreement on the long-term management of the North East Atlantic mackerel stock with either Iceland or the Faroe Islands.
	It is extremely important that this stock is managed on a sustainable basis in the future, and hence the issue was discussed at the EU Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels on 13-14 December. It was agreed that the EU would consider formal action, by way of sanctions, against Iceland following their decision to walk away from talks earlier this month.
	The European Commission is still however hopeful that further discussions with the Faroes in the new year, will result in an agreement. The UK will continue to play a full part in any talks on this issue with the Commission and other member states.

Oil: Imports

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential effect on UK food distribution and food security of  (a) a complete and indefinite stoppage of oil imports following a disruption in global oil supplies; and  (b) a complete and indefinite halt in the long-term availability of petrol and diesel following disruption to domestic petrol and diesel supplies.

James Paice: The diversity of oil supply was assessed in the UK Food Security Assessment, which acknowledges the energy dependence of the food supply chain. The UK enjoys a diverse range of supplies of crude and refined products including indigenous oil production, domestically refined products and imports of crude oil and oil products from a range of EU and other countries.
	Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is the lead Government department coordinating the response to a significant disruption to oil supply or demand, be it domestic or international. As part of the ongoing programme of work conducted by the government to build resilience to disruptive challenges, DECC has developed the National Emergency Plan for Fuel (NEP-F). This identifies how the downstream oil industry and the Government need to respond in an emergency, using one or more emergency response tools to manage any significant disruption. If there is an actual or threatened oil emergency in the UK affecting fuel supplies, emergency powers under the Energy Act 1976 may be used. The NEP-F includes provisions to enable it to ensure the distribution of available fuel in support of critical areas including food supply.

Rural Payments Agency: Complaints

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints her Department received in relation to the processing of claims by the Rural Payments Agency in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010.

James Paice: The Rural Payments Agency has received the following number of complaints, as reported in the agency's annual reports and accounts for the financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number 
			 2007-08 1,149 
			 2008-09 942 
			 2009-10 1,116 
		
	
	The majority of complaints related to the processing of claims but the precise number could be identified only at disproportionate cost.

Sewage: Rivers

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the amount of raw sewage pumped into the river network by water utility companies; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: All discharges to the river network are controlled by the Environment Agency's Environmental Permitting activities. This includes discharges from sewage treatment works and associated sewer systems. In conjunction with the Agency's monitoring programme this ensures that river water quality is protected. Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) allow the controlled discharge of dilute sewage mixed with rainwater when combined sewer systems become overwhelmed during periods of heavy rainfall. This prevents sewer flooding in homes and businesses. While some site specific information on the amounts discharged may be available on public registers it is not collated for all sites. However I strongly encourage water companies to make information on CSO spills available to all, where technically possible.

Trees

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Forestry Commission land in each local authority area has sweet chestnut under management for coppicing.

James Paice: Forestry Commission records as at 31 March 2010 show that the area of sweet chestnut under management as coppice is as follows:
	
		
			  Unitary authority  Area (hectares) 
			 City of Peterborough 17.2 
			 County of Herefordshire 0.5 
			 Dorset County 0.5 
			 East Sussex County 66.7 
			 Hampshire County 4.8 
			 Isle of Wight 18.2 
			 Kent County 558.9 
			 North Somerset 0.4 
			 Surrey County 15.2 
			 West Sussex County 115.7 
			 Wiltshire County 10.1

Water Power: Fisheries

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will meet representatives of anglers' and fisheries charities to discuss the effect on fish populations of hydropower schemes.

Richard Benyon: I intend to meet with angling and fisheries organisations early in the new year to discuss a range of angling and fisheries management issues. It is anticipated that hydropower will form part of those discussions.

Whales: Conservation

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with other member nations of the Antarctic Treaty on the conduct of the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctic waters.

Richard Benyon: The UK regularly raises the issue of whaling in the Southern Ocean at ministerial and official level with Japan. Most recently, my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr Browne) raised the issue on his visit to Japan in September. The Foreign Secretary also raised the matter during his visit to Japan in July.
	Through the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the recognised global convention for whaling, the UK regularly raises our opposition to so called 'scientific' whaling in Antarctic waters. We fully support continued collaboration between the IWC and Antarctic treaty agreements, such as the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, in addressing areas of concern.
	We are disappointed at the recent departure of the Japanese whaling fleet. Japan's action undermines the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and international efforts to conserve and protect whales.
	Further, the UK has strongly condemned any dangerous activity in the Southern Ocean, from any party, that risks human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea.

Wood

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to adopt in the UK to assist in global efforts against illegal logging and deforestation.

James Paice: Tackling illegal logging and deforestation is a priority for the coalition Government, and we are in the process of implementing two EU regulations to tackle the trade in illegal timber. The EU FLEGT (forest law enforcement, governance and trade) regulation, which will apply from early 2011, requires timber from countries which have signed a voluntary partnership agreement with the EU to carry a licence to prove that it has been legally harvested.
	This will complement the recently agreed EU illegal timber (due diligence) regulation, which requires operators first placing timber and timber products on the EU market to exercise due diligence to ensure that this timber has been legally harvested. The regulation also includes a prohibition on the first placing of illegal timber on the EU market. I am confident that these measures will help us to eradicate illegal timber from the UK market, and thus support global efforts to tackle illegal logging and deforestation.

Wood: Imports

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautions are in place to reduce the risk of importation of harmful  (a) insects and  (b) diseases through the importation of wood for burning as biomass.

James Paice: Quarantine requirements for wood and wood products entering Great Britain are prescribed in the Plant Health (Forestry) Order 2005, which transposes EU-wide requirements set out in Council Directive 2000/29/EC. These, with one exception, apply to wood chips and other wood products for biomass in the same way as they do in the case of, for example, sawn wood and logs. The exception is wood in the form of pellets which, due to the manufacturing process, does not pose a risk of transmitting pests. All other consignments of regulated wood and wood products are required to be notified prior to landing and are subjected to plant health inspection by the Forestry Commission before being released by HM Revenue and Customs.

Slaughterhouses

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) departmental circulars and  (b) other documents her Department has published consequent on the provisions of legislation regulating slaughterhouses in each of the last 10 years; what assessment she has made of the adequacy of enforcement of such legislation; how many persons of each (i) age, (ii) sex and (iii) police force area have been (A) prosecuted and (B) convicted of an offence under the provisions of such legislation in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Guidance on the welfare of poultry at slaughter was issued in December 2007 and DEFRA guidance on licensing and training of slaughtermen was last updated in May 2010.
	Enforcement of welfare in slaughterhouses is the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA conducted a survey of all approved slaughterhouses in May 2010 to establish whether food business operators are taking active steps to comply with legal requirements and achieve the necessary animal welfare standards. The survey also looked at whether Official Veterinarians and frontline teams are carrying out their roles effectively, with appropriate monitoring and relevant enforcement being taken in the event of food business operator non-compliance. This survey indicated standards of animal welfare met or exceeded legislative requirements in 94% of premises surveyed.
	Details of prosecutions and convictions for offences under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended) are as follows:
	
		
			  Case  Result  Sex  Age  Court area 
			  April 2007 to March 2008 
			 1. Convicted Company Company Reedley magistrates court 
			 2. Convicted Male 47 North East Derbyshire and the Dales magistrates court 
			 3. Convicted Male 53 Halifax magistrates court 
			 4. Convicted Male 46 Halifax magistrates court 
			 5. Convicted Company Company Bradford magistrates court 
			 6. Convicted Company Company Nuneaton magistrates court 
			 7. Convicted Male 73 Stratford-upon-Avon magistrates court 
			 8. Convicted Company Company Sleaford magistrates court 
			 9. Convicted Company Company Nottingham magistrates court 
			 10. Convicted Company Company Derby magistrates court 
			 11. Convicted Company Company Sleaford magistrates court 
			 12. Convicted Male 53 Halifax magistrates court 
			 13. Convicted Male 46 Halifax magistrates court 
			 14. Convicted Company Company Sleaford magistrates court 
			 15. Convicted Company Company Milton Keynes magistrates court 
			  
			  April 2008 to March 2009 
			 1. Convicted Company Company Doncaster magistrates court 
			 2. Convicted Company Company Ilkeston magistrates court 
			  
			  April 2009 to March 2010 
			 1. Convicted Male 53 Calderdale magistrates court 
			 2. Convicted Male 46 Calderdale magistrates court 
			  
			  April 2010 to date 
			 1. Convicted Company Company Carlisle magistrates court 
			 2. Convicted Company Company Cheltenham magistrates court 
			 3. Convicted Company Company Halifax magistrates court 
			 4. Convicted Male 63 Halifax magistrates court